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BV  4501  .S42  1860 
Seeker,  William,  d.  1681? 
A  string  of  pearls  from  an 
old  casket 


3TKING    OP    PEARLS, 


AN   OLD    CASKET; 


WITH    AN    IITTRODUCTION   BY 

EEV.   EICHARD    NEWTON,    D.D., 

AUTHOR  OP  "rills  FROM  THE  FOUNTAIN  OF  LIFE," 

"the  best  THINGS," "THE  KING'S  HIGH- 
WAY,"— "the  giants  and  how  to 

FIGHT  THEM,"  ETC. 


Kt\:.  W(M.,6Q(iK(^r 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL   BOOK  SOCIETY, 

IN 

PHILADELPHIA. 

1224  Chestnut  Street. 


Eutered  accordiug  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1860,  by  the 

PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  BOOK  SOCIETY  IN 

PHILADELPHIA, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania. 

S.  D.  Wyeth,  Stereotyper. 


Collins,  Printbr. 


CONTENTS. 

Page 

Introduction,             -            -        -            -  v 

Christian  Characteristics,           -         -  11 

Sin,                      34 

Liberality,    -         -            -          -            -  37 

Humility,            -         -             -         -             -  41 

Hypocrisy,     -         -        -            -            -  47 

Forgiveness,       -        -            -            -        -  49 

Reproof,        -        -              -         -            -  50 

Duties,     -          -        -            -        -            -  51 

Prosperity,              -             -          -             -  56 

Contentment,     -           -          -            -        -  58 

Self  knowledge,        -        ..            -          .  59 

Youthful  Piety,             -            .          -        .  62 

Perseverance,          -            -            -         -  64 

The  Christian's  present  possession  and  fu- 
ture expectations,             -        -            -         -  67 

God's  cognizance  of  men.             -        -  69 

Heart  service,         -            -            -        -  75 

The  fruits  of  sin,             -        -              -  79 

iii 


IV  CONTENTS. 

Page 
Creature  vaiiity,        -        -  -  -      81 

Good  works,         -          -            -  .        .  84 

Sin  when  hateful  not  hurtful,  -          -      90 

Watchfulness,      -         -            -  _         .  93 

The  right  use  of  mercies,         -  -        -       97 

The  design  of  affliction,         _  -        _        loo 

No  arguing  a  man's  spiritual  state  from  his 

temporal  experience,  -            -     103 

Prayer,         -        -         -          -  -         .  107 

Love,      -         -          -        -  -            -     109 

Miscellaneous,        -      -         -  -          112 


INTEODUCTION. 


The  Author,  from  whose  writings  these 
extracts  are  made,  is  the  Eev.  Wm. 
Seeker.  The  only  work  of  his  which 
it  has  been  my  privilege  to  meet  with, 
is  a  volume  of  Sermons,  on  the  words — 
"What  do  ye  more  than  others?"  This 
volume  was  first  published  in  London, 
in  the  year  1660.  In  accordance  with 
the  fondness  for  quaint  titles,  then  pre- 
vailing, it  was  called  "The  Non-Such 
Professor  in  his  meridian  splendor ;  or, 
The  Singular  actions  of  Sanctified  Chris- 
tians laid  open."  I  have  been  unable 
to  find  any  definite,  or  satisfactory  in- 
formation respecting  the  author  in  ques- 
tion. Nothing  more  than  his  name 
occurs  in  any  of  the  biographical  dic- 
tionaries that  I  have  been  able  to  con- 
sult. ■  I  suppose  him  to  have  been  a 
Non- Conformist,  or  Independent  mini- 


VI  INTRODUCTION. 

ster,  living  and  laboring  about  the 
middle  of  the  seventeenth  century.  He 
is  spoken  of  as  a  preacher  of  the  gospel 
at  Tewksbury,  Gloucestershire.  But 
though  so  little  known  to  fame  he  was 
evidently  "  a  workman  that  needed  not 
to  be  ashamed; — a  good  steward  of 
the  manifold  grace  of  God,— bringing 
forth  out  of  his  treasures  things  new  and 
old." 

In  his  own  Preface  to  his  work,  he 
says :  "The  design  of  this  piece  is  not 
the  ostentation  of  the  author,  but  the 
edification  of  the  reader.  In  this  sub- 
ject you  have  a  breviary  of  religion ; 
the  works  enjoined  in  it  are  weighty, 
and  the  blessings  annexed  to  it  are 
many.  Christianity  is  here  dressed  in 
the  white  linen  of  purity.  As  grace 
begins  in  God's  love  to  us,  so  it  ends  in 
our  love  to  Him.  It  makes  our  com- 
forts greater  and  our  crowns  brighter. 
Those  children  who  are  found  moving 


INTBODUCTION".  Vll 

in  tlie  orbits  of  obedience,  sball  enjoy 
the  clearest  sunshine  of  their  Father's 
countenance." 

''Remember,  reader,  that  we  can  call 
no  time  our  own,  but  the  present.  How 
carefully  should  we  shoot,  who  have  but 
one  arrow  to  direct  at  the  mark  !  The 
enjoyment  of  the  world  is  neither  an 
evidence  of  the  divine  favor,  nor  anger. 
Judge  not  yourselves  therefore,  by  the 
gold  in  your  bags,  but  by  the  grace  of  God 
in  your  heart ;  not  by  your  wealth,  but 
by  your  works.  If  religion  be  your 
vineyard  to  labor  in,  eternity  shall  be 
your  bed  to  rest  upon.  Every  grace 
that  is  exercised  here,  shall  be  glorified 
there." 

Here  we  have  a  fair  specimen  of  the 
author's  style,  both  of  thought  and  ex- 
pression. This  is  such  as  to  justify  the 
criticism  of  one  who  characterized  his 
volume  as — "  A  beautiful  little  work, 
W(5tth  its  weight  in  gold." 


Vlll  INTRODUCTION. 

There  are  two  things  which  specially 
characterize  these  extracts,  viz.;  eminent 
spirituality;  and  great  concentration  of 
thought. 

They  are  eminently  spiritual.  They 
contain  the  very,  marrow  of  the 
gospel.  The  circle  in  which  they  move 
lies  directly  round  the  cross.  They 
pertain  altogether  to  "the  things  which 
accompany  salvation."  Christ  in  his 
fulness ;  his  grace  in  its  preciousness ; 
and  christian  experience  in  the  diversi- 
fied forms  of  its  developments  are  the 
topics  here  referred  to.  The  views  of 
gospel  truth  presented,  are  peculiarly 
clear,  and  discriminating.  The  author 
of  these  sweet  sayings,  was  "  a  master  in 
Israel;"  at  whose  feet  all  may  sit  with 
profit,  and  receive  instruction. 

His  thoughts  are  as  remarkable  for 
their  concentration,  as  for  their  spirit- 
uality. He  throws  out  the  pure  gold 
of  gospel  truth   in  great  ingots.     His 


INTRODUCTION".  IX 

sentences  are  often  like  compressed 
volumes.  You  may  digest  one  of  them ; 
and  then,  like  Elijah,  when  he  had 
eaten  of  the  food  which  the  angel 
brought,  you  will  feel  as  if  you  could 
''go  in  the  strength  of  it  many  days." 

May  it  please  God  to  bless  this 
^''  String  of  Pearls,''^  to  the  enriching  of 
the  souls  of  all  who  possess  themselves 
of  it,  for  Christ's  sake  ! 

Richard  Newton. 

Philadelphia,   October,  1860. 


NOTE. 

This  little  book  of  Extracts  was  prepared  for 
publication  a  year  ago.  The  Publishers  in  New 
York,  to  whom  it  was  entrusted,  were  unable, 
from  a  pressure  of  business,  to  take  it  in  hand 
till  last  spring.  Then,  just  as  they  were  about 
commencing  it,  an  edition  of  the  work  from  which 
the  extracts  are  made,  was  brought  out  by 
Sheldon  &  Co.,  of  N.  Y.,  with  a  preface  by  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Krauth  of  this  city.  This  led  to  the  abandon- 
ment of  the  publication  of  these  extracts,  at  that 
time.  But  now,  after  a  fair  opportunity  has  been 
allowed  to  the  publishers  of  the  volume  in  ques- 
tion to  circulate  their  work ;  and  knowing  that 
many  persons,  though  possessed  of  the  "Old 
Casket,"  from  which  these  Pearls  have  been  se- 
lected, may  prefer  to  have  them  ready  strung  for 
use,  as  more  convenient,  than  having  to  search 
through  the  Casket  for  them,  I  have  concluded 
to  send  out  "The  String  of  Pearls  "  for  the  use 
of  such. 

"The  Non-Such  Professor  in  his  Meridian 
Splendor ; ' '  can  now  be  had  at  any  of  the  reli- 
gious book  stores.  R.  N. 


CHRISTIAN   CHARACTERISTICS. 


Believers  are  among  others,  as 
Saul  was  among  tlie  Israelites,  the  tallest 
by  the  head  and  shoulders.  Their  birth 
is  truly  low,  who  are  not  born  from 
above.  What  are  such  earthly  shrubs 
compared  with  heavenly  cedars;  or 
such  thorns  of  the  world's  brake,  to  the 
willows  of  God's  brook  ?  These  trees, 
which  have  their  top  branches  of  hope 
in  heaven,  will  have  their  lower  boughs 
of  activity  on  earth.  Those  who  look 
for  a  heaven,  made  ready,  will  live  as 
though  they  were  already  in  heaven. 


The  juice,  which  distils  into  a  rose, 
is  returned  into  a  SAveet  perfimie,  but 
that  which  drops  upon  a  nettle  is  re- 
turned in  an  ill  savor.  If  the  mercies 
of  God  be  not  load- stones  to  draw  us  to 


12 


heaven,  they  will  be  mill-stones  to  sink 
us  to  perdition.  The  blessings  we  enjoy 
are  not  the  fruit  of  our  merit,  but  the 
fruit  of  God's  mercy. 


What  are  carnal  men  to  Christian 
men  ?  The  power  of  God  appears  in 
ihQ  formation  of  one,  but  the  stupendous 
grace  of  God  shines,  illustriously  in  the 
transformation  of  the  other.  In  creation, 
God  has  given  the  productions  of  the 
earth,  for  our  bodies ;  but  in  redemption, 
he  has  given  himself  for  our  souls. 
Thus  it  appears  to  be  a  greater  favor  to 
be  converted,  than  to  be  created  ;  yea,  it 
were  better  for  us  to  have  no  being,  than 
not  to  have  a  new  being. 


Though  there  be  many  professors, 
who  are  not  true  believers,  yet  there  are 
no  true  believers,  but  what  are  profes- 
sors. As  trees  are  known  by  its  fruits, 
so  believers  are  known  by  their  works. 


FROM   AN  OLD   CASKET.  13 

Such  as  have  received  Christ's  boTinty, 
are  unwilling  to  fight  under  Satan^s 
banner. 


Ah !  how  intolerable  will  the  punish- 
ment of  those  professors  be,  who  have 
appeared  as  burnished  gold  to  men,  and 
are  found  only  base  metal  in  the  sight 
of  God !  What  will  it  profit,  to  put 
off  the  old  manners,  and  not  put  off  the 
old  man  ?  A  snake  may  change  its 
skin,  and  yet  preserve  its  sting.  The 
gospel  professed,  may  lift  a  man  unto 
heaven,  but  it  is  only  the  gospel  pos- 
sessed, that  brings  a  man  into  heaven. 
To  possess  piety,  and  yet  practice  im- 
piety, will  be  so  far  from  advancing  a 
man's  commendation,  that  it  will  as- 
suredly heighten  his  condemnation. 


A  holy  calling  will  be  attended  with 
a  holy  carriage.  Many  may  be  found 
who  can  talk  of  grace;  but  very  few  can 


14  A  STRING  OF  PEARLS, 

be  found  who  taste  of  grace.  It  is  not 
every  one,  who  looks  like  a  Christian, 
that  lives  like  a  Christian. 


It  is  unnatural  for  a  Christian's  tongue 
to  be  larsfer  than  his  hand.  It  is 
lamentable  for  him  to  hold  a  lamp  for 
others,  and  yet  to  walk  in  darkness 
himself.  He  that  gives  proper  precepts, 
and  then  sets  improper  examples,  re- 
sembles that  foolish  person,  who  labors 
hard  to  kindle  a  fire,  and  when  he  has 
done  it,  throws  cold  water  upon  it,  to 
quench  it.  Though  such  a  physician 
may  administer  the  reviving  cordial  to 
some  fainting  disciple,  yet  he  is  in  danger 
himself  of  dying  in  a  swoon. 


Many  people  are  offended  with  the 
profession  of  religion,  because  all  are 
not  religious  who  make  a  profession.  A 
little  consideration  will  correct  this 
error.     Does  the  sheep  despise  its  fleece; 


FROM   AN    OLD   CASKET.  15 

because  the  wolf  lias  worn  it  ?  Who 
blames  a  crystal  river  because  some 
melancholy  men  have  drowned  them- 
selves in  its  streams?  The  best  drugs 
have  their  adulterates.  And  will  you 
refuse  an  opiate,  because  some  have  wan- 
tonly poisoned  themselves  with  it. 
Though  you  have  been  cozened  with 
false  colours,  yet  you  should  not  dis- 
esteem  that  which  is  dyed  in  grain.  He 
is  a  bad  economist  who,  having  a  spot 
in  his  garments,  cuts  off"  the  cloth,  in- 
stead of  rubbing  off  the  dirt.  God 
rejects  all  religion  but  his  own. 


As  Jesus  Christ  is  the  fountain  of 
excellency,  to  which  all  must  come ;  so 
he  is  the  pattern  of  excellency,  to  which 
all  must  conform.  As  he  is  the  root 
on  which  a  saint  grows,  so  he  is  the  rule 
by  which  a  saint  walks.  God  has  made 
one  Son  in  the  image  of  us  all  that  he 
might   make  all  his  sons,  in  the  image 


16  A   STRING   OF   PEARLS, 

of  that  one.  Jesus  Christ  lived  to  teach, 
us  how  to  live,  and  died  to  teach  ns  how 
to  die.  Ah!  reader,  if  the  life  of  Christ 
be  not  your  pattern,  the  death  of  Christ 
"wtlII  never  be  your  pardon.  Though 
the  Lord  Jesus  was  a  man  of  many  sor- 
rows, yet  he  was  not  a  man  of  the  least 
sin.  No  man  can  equal  him  in  holiness ; 
yet  every  man  ought  to  imitate  him  in 
holiness. 


A  truly  religious  life  is  a  crystal 
glass  wherein  Christ  sees  his  own  like- 
ness. In  our  sacramental  participations 
we  show  forth  the  death  of  Christ ;  but 
in  our  evangelical  conversation,  we  show 
forth  the  life  of  Christ.  An  excellent 
Christ  calls  for  excellent  Christians. 
As  he  was  never  unemployed,  so  he 
was  never  ill  employed;  for  "he  went 
about  doing  good."  As  our  happiness 
lay  near  his  heart,  so  his  honor  should 
lie  near  our  hearts. 


FKOM   AN   OLD    CASKET.  17 

All  tliose  who  are  conformed  to  the 
image  of  the  Eedeemer,  are  as  willing 
to  be  ruled  bj  Christ,  as  they  are  to  be 
esteemed  by  H;m.  He  that  deems  his 
yoke  heavy,  will  not  find  his  crown 
easy. 


How  blessed  would  it  be  for  us,  to 
have  that  blessed  Scripture  fulfilled  in 
us; — "As  he  was,  so  are  we,  in  this 
world."  Now,  if  we  are,  in  this  world, 
as  he  was,  we  shall  be  in  heaven,  as  he 
is.  If  there  be  no  likeness  between 
Christ  and  you,  on  earth,  there  can  be 
no  friendship  between  Christ  and  you 
in  heaven. 


If  the  sun  be  eclipsed  but  one  day, 
it  attracts  more  spectators  than  if  it 
shone  a  whole  year.  So,  if  you  commit 
one  sin  it  will  cause  you  many  sor- 
rows, and  the  world  many  triumphs. 
Dr.  Whitaker,  on  reading  the  5th  of 
2 


18  A   STRING   OF   PEARLS, 

Matthew,  brake  out  saying,  ''Either 
this  is  not  the  Gospel,  or  we  are  not  of 
the  Gospel."  The  cruelty  of  the 
Spaniards  to  the  IndiaQS,  made  them 
refuse  Christian  baptism.  "  For,"  said 
they,  "he  must  be  a  wicked  God,  who 
has  such  wicked  servants."  Oh!  that 
God's  jewels  did  but  sparkle  more,  in 
this  benighted  world. 


As  there  is  no  man  so  vicious,  but 
some  relative  good  may  be  performed 
by  him  to  man,  so  there  is  no  one  so 
religious,  but  some  evil  may  be  com- 
mitted by  him  against  God.  As  one 
swallow  does  not  prove  the  approach  of 
summer,  neither  does  one  good  action, 
prove  a  man,  a  believer.  There  is,  in 
every  being,  a  natural  tendency  to  some 
centre.  God  is  the  centre  of  the  saints, 
and  glory  is  the  centre  of  grace.  Now, 
where  we  do  not  discover  that  bias,  we 
may  deny  the  being. 


FROM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  19 

There  is  no  ascertaining  tlie  quality 
of  a  tree,  but  by  its  fruits.  When  the 
wheels  of  a  clock  move  within,  the  hand 
on  the  dial  will  move  without.  When 
the  heart  of  a  man,  is  sound  in  conver- 
sion, then  the  life  will  be  fair  in  profes- 
sion. When  the  conduit  is  walled  in, 
how  shall  we  judge  of  the  spring,  but 
by  the  waters,  which  run  through  the 
pipes. 


As  a  sinner  will  discover  the  good 
he  wants,  so  a  saint  will  show  the  good 
he  enjoj^s.  When  the  sun  dawns  upon 
the  earth,  it  is  presently  known,  and 
v/hen  the  Sun  of  Kighteousness  arises 
upon  the  heart,  it  cannot  be  hid.  It  is 
said  of  the  Saviour  that  ''he  could  not 
be  hid."  As  it  is  with  the  head,  so  it 
is  with  the  members.  ''Ye  are  the 
light  of  the  world."  Let  your  light,  so 
shine,  among  men  that  they  may  see 
your  good  works. 


20  A   STRING   OF   PEA  ELS, 

Were  the  sun  to  give  no  more  light 
than  a  star,  you  could  not  believe  he 
was  the  regent  of  the  day ;  were  he  to 
transmit  no  more  heat  than  a  glow- 
worm, 3^ou  would  question  his  being  the 
source  of  elementary  heat.  Were  God 
to  do  no  more  than  a  creature,  where 
would  his  Godhead  be?  Were  man  to 
do  no  more  than  a  brute,  where  would 
his  manhood  be  ?  Were  not  the  saint 
to  excel  the  sinner,  where  would  his 
sanctity  be  ? 


If  men  debase  themselves  as  beasts, 
the  Lord  will  nominate  them,  beasts ; 
and  if  Christians  walk  as  men,  God  will 
call  them  men.  There  is  no  passing  for 
current  coin  in  heaven,  without  the 
stamp  and  signature  of  heaven. 


"  Hear,  oh  heavens,  and  be  astonished 
oh  earth."  Why,  ^hat  is  the  matter  ? 
''The  ox   knoweth  its  owner,  and  the 


FROM   AN    OLD    CASKET.  21 

ass  his  master's  crib;  but  Israel  doth 
not  know,  my  people  dotli  not  consider." 
God  dotli  not  call  in  a  jury  of  angels  to 
condemn  tliem;  but  lie  empanels  a  jury 
of  oxen,  and  asses,  to  pass  sentence  upon 
them.  Alas !  that  oxen,  and  asses,  should 
be  more  religious  than  men,  who  profess 
religion!  In  their  kind,  they  are  more 
kind.  If  their  owners  feed  them,  they 
readily  own  their  owners. 


Men  commonly  season  the  vessel  with 
water,  before  they  trust  it  with  costly 
wine.  Thus  God  will  season  the  vessel 
of  your  heart  with  his  grace,  before  he 
pours  into  it  the  wine  of  his  glory.  It 
is  hard  to  say  whether  God  discovers 
more  love  in  preparing  heavenly  man- 
sions for  the  soul,  than  in  preparing  the 
soul  for  heavenly  mansions. 


The  soul  of  man  is  the  Lord's  Casket, 
and  grace  the  jewel ;  now,  wherever  the 


22  A  stri:n'g  of  pearls, 

jewel  is  not  found,  tlie  casket  will  be 
thrown  away.  Though  the  wheat  be 
for  the  garner,  yet  the  chaff  is  for  the  fire. 
The  Scripture  presents  you,  not  only, 
with  an  account  of  what  God  will  do 
for  a  christian,  but  also  what  achristia-n 
will  do  for  Grod. 


Some  people  say  much,  and  do  nothing; 
but  christians  do  much,  and  say  nothing. 
To  deserve  praise,  where  none  is  ob- 
tained, is  better  than  to  obtain  it  where 
none  is  deserved.  The  old  maxim  is 
worthy  to  be  revived — he  that  desires 
honor  is  not  worthy  of  honor. 


A  saint  may  be  seen  doing  more  works 
than  any,  and  yet  he  does  not  desire  to 
do  any  of  his  works,  to  be  seen.  An 
alms,  which  is  seen,  is  by  no  means  un- 
pleasant to  God,  provided  it  be  not  given 
with  a  design  to  have  it  seen.  Though 
good  ends  make  not  bad  actions  lawful, 


FROM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  23 

yet,  bad  ends  make  good  actions  sinful. 
The  harp  sounds  sweetly,  yet  it  hears 
not  its  own  melody.  Moses  had  more 
glory  by  his  veil,  than  by  his  face.  It 
is  truly  pleasant  to  behold  those  living 
in  the  dust  of  humility,  who  have  raised 
others,  from  the  dust  by  their  liberality. 


It  is  both  meat  and  drink  to  a  form- 
alist to  fast,  if  others  do  but  see  it.  It 
is  reported  that  the  nightingale  never 
sings  so  sweetly,  as  when  others  stand 
by  to  hear  its  melody.  "  Come  see  my 
zeal  for  the  Lord  of  Hosts,"  when  there 
was  no  zeal  for  the  Lord  of  Hosts  to  be 
seen.  Jehu  only  made  religion  a  stir- 
rup, to  mount  upon  the  saddle  of  popu- 
larity. Sounding  souls  are  seldom  souls 
that  are  sound.  The  vote  of  a  Jehu  is 
always  linked  to  the  heart  of  a  Judas. 
Some  persons  are  like  hens,  which  no 
sooner  drop  their  eggs  than  they  begin 
to  chatter.    If  such  bestow  a  little  money 


24 


on  a  cburcli's  repairs,  it  must  be  recorded 
upon  glazed  windows.  Where  self  is 
the  end  of  our  actions,  Satan  is  the  re- 
warder  of  them. 


Where  the  river  is  the  deepest,  the 
water  glides  the  smoothest.  Empty 
casks  sound  most ;  whereas  the  well- 
fraught  vessel  silences  its  own  sound. 
As  the  shadow  of  the  sun  is  largest 
when  his  beams  are  lowest,  so  we  are 
always  least,  when  we  make  ourselves 
the  greatest. 


He  that  trafl&cs  in  God's  service,  to 
fraught  himself  with  man's  praises, 
suffers  shipwreck  in  the  haven,  and 
loses  his  wages,  when  he  comes  to  re- 
ceive pay  for  his  works.  It  is  storied 
of  Alexander's  footman,  that  he  ran  so 
swift  upon  the  sand,  that  the  print  of 
his  footsteps  were  not  seen.  Thus 
should  it  be  with  Christians ;  nothing 


FROM   AN"   OLD   CASKET.  25 

is  more  pleasing  unto  God,  tlian  a  hand 
that  is  largely  opened,  and  a  mouth  that 
is  straightly  closed. 


Saints  should  resemble  a  spire  steeple, 
which  is  smallest  where  it  is  highest ; 
or  those  orient  stars,  which  the  higher 
they  are  seated,  the  less  they  are  viewed. 
Usually,  the  greatest  boasters  are  the 
smallest  workers. 


"Without  grace  there  may  be  seeming 
knowledge;  but,  without  grace  there 
can  be  no  saving  knowledge.  Satan 
may  as  well  put  out  our  eyes,  that  we 
should  not  see  the  truth ;  as  cut  off  our 
feet,  that  we  should  not  walk  in  the 
truth.  Naked  knowledge  may  make 
the  head  giddy ;  but  it  will  never  make 
the  heart  holy. 


How  many  professors   are  there  who 
have  light  enough  to  know  what  should 


26  A  STRING   OF   PEAELS, 

be  done,  but  have  not  love  enough  to 
do,  what  they  know !  Such  people  have 
no  advantage  from  carrjnng  a  bright 
candle  in  a  dark  lantern.  Give  me  the 
professor,  who  perfectly  sees  tlie  way 
he  should  go,  and  readily  goes  the  way 
he  sees.  That  sinner's  darkness  will  be 
the  greatest  in  hell,  whose  light  was  the 
clearest  on  earth. 


I  have  read  of  a  painter,  who,  being 
warmly  reprehended,  by  a  cardinal,  for 
putting  too  much  red  into  the  faces  of 
St.  Paul  and  St.  Peter,  answered ; — ^'It  is 
to  show,  how  much  they  blush  at  the 
conduct  of  many  who  style  themselves 
their  successors."  Were  Abraham,  the 
father  of  the  faithful,  now  on  earth,  how 
would  he  disclaim  all  relation  to  many 
who  call  themselves  his  offspring! 
Though  there  was  less  grace  discovered 
to  the  saints  of  old,  yet  there  was  more 
grace  discovered  in  them.     They  knew 


FROM   AN    OLD    CASKET.  27 

little,  and  did  much ;  we  know  much,  and 
do  little. 


'^My  righteousness  I  hold  fast,  and 
will  not  let  it  go."  Poor  Job  could 
hold  nothing  fast,  but  his  integrity; 
grace  kept  his  heart,  when  he  could  not 
keep  his  gold.  Uprightness  is  of  so 
fair  a  complexion  as  not  to  be  subject  to 
any  alteration,  from  the  scorching  beams 
of  persecution.  The  laurel  preserves 
its  verdure,  amidst  the  severest  blasts 
of  winter.  Times  of  trouble  have  often 
been  times  of  triumph  to  a  believer. 
Suffering  seasons  have,  generally,  been 
sifting  seasons,  in  which  the  Christian 
has  lost  his  chaflP,  and  the  hypocrite  his 


"Wicked  men  stumble  at  every  straw, 
in  the  way  to  heaven,  but  they  climb 
over  hills,  in  the  way  to  destruction. 
Hang  heavy  weights  on  rotten  boughs 


28  A   STRIXG    OF   PEARLS, 

and  they  will  suddenly  break.  If  sin- 
ners take  up  religion,  in  a  fair  day,  they 
will  eagerly,  lay  it  down  in  a  foul  one. 
The  language  of  such  is,  "  Lord,  we  are 
willing  to  serve  thee,  but  unwilling  to 
suffer  for  thee.  We  will  go  to  sea,  with 
thee,  but  on  condition,  we  have  no 
storms.  We  have  no  objection  to  enter 
into  the  war,  but  upon  this  promise, 
that  we  have  no  blows."  Such  would 
fain  be  wafted  to  the  port  of  felicity,  in 
such  vessels  as  would  not  be  tossed  in 
the  sea  of  calamity.  They  think  too 
much  of  wearing  a  thorn,  though  it  be 
borrowed  from  Christ's  crown. 


A  true  Christian  will  lay  down  his 
lusts,  at  the  command  of  Christ,  and  his 
life,  for  the  cause  of  Christ.  The  more 
a  tree  of  righteousness  is  shaken  by  the 
wind,  the  more  it  is  rooted  in  the  ground. 
What,  art  thou  a  member  of  Christ,  and 
afraid  to  be  a  martyr  for  Christ?     If 


FEOM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  29 

those   be   blessed,  wlio   die   in   Christ; 
what  must  they  be  who  die /or  Christ. 


"Should  such  a  man  as  I  flee?" 
saith  Nehemiah ;  a  man  so  much  owned 
and  honored  of  God !  It  is  better  to  die 
a  conquerer  in  religion,  than  to  live  a 
coward   in   reliofion.      Those   who   are 

o 

willing  to  be  combatants  for  God,  shall 
also,  be  more  than  conquerors  through 
God.  None  are  so  truly  courageous;  as 
those  who  are  truly  religious. 


If  a  righteous  cause  bring  you  into 
sufferings,  a  righteous  God  will  bring 
you  out  of  sufferings.  A  Christian  is 
as  much  indebted  to  his  enemies,  as  to 
friends.  The  malicious  crucifixion  of 
Christ  wrought  out  the  glorious  exalta- 
tion of  Christ.  The  worst  that  men  can 
do  against  believers,  is  the  best  that  they 
can  do  for  believers.  The  worst  they 
can  do  to  them,  is  to  send  them  out  of 


30  A   STRING   OF    PEARLS, 

the  eartli;  and  the  best  they  can  do /or 
them  is  to  send  them  into  heaven.  That 
was  a  Christian  expression,  of  one  of  the 
martyrs  to  his  persecutors ; — ''You  take 
a  life  from  me,  that  I  cannot  keep,  and 
bestow  a  life  upon  me  that  I  cannot 
lose ;  which  is  as  if  you  should  rob  me 
of  counters,  and  furnish  me  with  gold." 
He  that  is  assured  of  a  life,  that  has  no 
end,  need  not  care  how  soon  this  life 
shall  end. 


"Seekest  thou  great  things  for  thyself  ? 
seek  them  not."  For  saints  to  set  their 
hearts  upon  that,  whereon  beasts  set 
their  feet,  is  as  if  a  king  should  abdicate 
his  throne,  to  follow  the  plough ;  or,  as 
if  a  man  should  desert  a  golden  mine, 
to  dig  in  a  pit  of  gravel.  Where  we 
search  ourselves  it  denotes  that  we  are 
virtuous;  but  when  we  seek  ourselves  it 
denotes  that  we  are  covetous. 


FROM   AN    OLD   CASKET.  31 

There  is  a  proverb,  but  none  of  Solo- 
mon's ; — "  Every  man  for  himself,  and 
God  for  ns  all."  But  where  every  man 
is  for  himself  the  devil  will  have  all. 
Whosoever  is  a  seeker  of  himself  is  not 
found  of  God.  Though  he  may  find 
himself  in  this  life,  he  will  lose  himself 
in  death. 


Though  the  eagle  be  the  queen  of 
birds,  as  the  lion  is  the  king  of  beasts, 
yet  she  was  not  offered  up,  in  sacrifice, 
because  she  lived  upon  the  spoils  of 
others.  Grace  teaches  a  Christian  not 
only  to  act  like  a  man  to  God,  but  also 
like  a  God  to  man. 


Our  Lord  Jesas  Christ  pleased  not 
himself,  that  thereby  he  might  eternally 
profit  us.  ''  For  ye  know  the  grace  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  that  though  he 
was  rich,  yet  for  our  sakes,  he  became 
poor;  that  ye  through  his  poverty  might 


32 


become  rich."  A  drop  of  his  blood,  is 
worth  more  than  a  sea  of  ours  ;  and  yet 
he  died  our  death  that  we  might  live  his 
life ;  and  suffered  our  hell,  to  bring  us 
to  his  heaven.  He  lay  in  the  feeble 
arms  of  his  mother,  that  we  might  lie 
in  the  tender  bosom  of  his  Father.  His 
love  began  in  his  eternal  purpose  of 
grace,  and  ends  in  our  eternal  possession 
of  glory. 


Every  gracious  spirit  is  public ;  but 
every  public  spirit  is  not  gracious.  God 
may  use  the  midwifery  of  the  Egyptians 
to  bring  forth  the  children  of  Israel. 
An  iron  key  may  open  a  golden  trea- 
sury ;  and  leaden  pipes  convey  pleasant 
waters.  Though  earthly  blessings  may 
be  communicated  to  a  spiritual  man,  yet 
spiritual  blessings  will  not  be  commu 
nicated  to  a  carnal  man 


Such  was  the  public  spirit  of  Moses, 


FEOM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  33 

that  wTien  tlie  Lord  proposed  to  him  to 
destroy  Israel,  and  to  make  a  great  na- 
tion of  him,  he  became  intercessor  for 
them  ;  yea,  even  when  they  were  ready 
to  stone  him.  His  affection  as  a  ruler 
was  stronger,  than  his  affection  as  a 
father.  Thus  Joshua,  his  honorable 
successor,  so  far  imitated  him  that  he 
first  divided  Canaan,  into  several  allot- 
ments and  portions,  for  the  tribes  of 
Israel,  before  he  made  any  provision  for 
his  own  family.  Give  me  such  carvers, 
as  lay  not  all  the  meat  upon  their  own 
dishes. 


A  religious  man,  in  the  company  of 
wicked  men,  is  like  a  green  branch, 
among  dry  and  burning  brands;  they  can 
sooner  kindle  him,  than  he  can  quench 
them. 


34  A  STRIXG   OF   PEARLS, 

SIN. 

Above  every  evil,  we  sliould  consider 
iin  as  the  greatest  evil.  Sin  is  the  only 
butt,  at  which  all  the  arrows  of  divine 
vengeance  are  shot.  Sinners  are  those 
spiders,  which  weave  their  own  webs, 
and  are,  afterwards,  entangled  in  them. 
Our  own  destruction  is  but  the  fruit  of 
our  own  trangression. 


To  see  a  saint  and  sinner  maintain- 
ing familiar  intercourse  with  each  other, 
is  to  behold  the  living  and  the  dead 
keeping  house  together.  The  godly  are 
more  frequently  corrupted  by  the  evil 
deportment  of  the  worldling,  than  the 
worldling  is  refined  by  the  chaste  con- 
versation of  the  godly.  You  may  ob- 
serve that  in  the  oven,  the  fine  bread 
frequently  hangs  upon  the  coarse,  but 
the  coarse  very  seldom  adheres  to  the 
fine.     If  you  mix  an  equal  proportion 


FKOM   AN    OLD    CASKET.  35 

of  sour  vinegar,  and  sweet  wine  to- 
gether, you  will  find  that  the  vinegar 
will  sooner  sour  the  wine,  than  the  wine 
sweeten  the  vinegar.  The  Lord's  peo- 
ple, by  keeping  evil  company,  are  like 
persons,  who  are  much  exposed  to  the 
sun,  insensibly  tanned. 


The  wicked  prefer  the  greatest  sins, 
to  the  least  suffering.  This  is  to  leap 
out  of  the  burning  pan,  into  the  con- 
suming flame.  By  seeking  to  shun  an 
external  calamity,  they  rush  into  eter- 
nal misery.  This  is,  as  if  a  man  should 
lose  his  head,  to  preserve  his  hat;  or,  as 
if  the  mariner  should  sink  the.  sailing 
vessel,  to  avoid  the  rising  storm. 


Sin  has  every  evil  subjoined  to  it. 
When  man  have  no  evil  ivithia  him, 
he  had  no  evil  vpon  him.  He  began  to 
be  sorrowful  when  he  began  to  be  sin- 
ful.    When  the  soul  shall  be  fully  re- 


36  A   STRING   OF   PEARLS, 

leased  from  the  guilt  of  iniquity,  the 
body  shall  be  wholly  delivered  from  the 
burden  of  infirmity.  Sorrow  shall  never 
be  a  visitant,  where  sin  is  not  an  inhabi- 
tant. The  former  would  be  a  foreigner, 
if  the  latter  was  not  a  sojourner. 


God  is  as  far  from  beating  his  chil- 
dren/or nothing,  as  he  is  from  beating 
them  to  nothing,  A  hole  in  the  ship 
will  sink  it  to  the  bottom.  A  small 
bite  from  a  serpent,  will  affect  the  whole 
body.  If  the  root  be  killed,  the  branches 
will  soon  be  withered.  If  the  spring  be 
diminished,  there  is  no  doubt,  but  the 
streams  will  soon  fail.  Where  the  fuel 
of  corruption  is  removed,  there  the  fire 
of  affliction  is  extinguished. 


The  water  without  the  ship  may  toss 
it,  but  it  is  the  water  within  the  ship, 
which  sinks  it. 


FEOM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  37 

A  certain  person,  on  seeing  a  Chris- 
tian woman  go  clieerfiilly  to  prison, 
said  to  her,  "Ah  you  have  not  yet 
tasted  of  the  bitterness  of  death."  She 
cheerfully  answered,  "N'o,  nor  ever 
shall ;  for  Christ  hath  promised  that 
those  who  keep  his  sayings,  shall  never 
see  death."  A  believer  may  feel  the 
stroke  of  death,  but  he  shall  never  feel 
the  sting  of  death. 


LIBERALITY. 

The  rich  man's  superfluity  was  or- 
dained, to  relieve  the  poor  man's  neces- 
sity. A  lady  on  giving  sixpence  to  a 
beggar,  accosted  him  thus; — "I  have 
now  given  you  more  than  ever  God 
gave  me."  To  whom  he  replied,  "  No 
madam,  God  hath  given  you,  all  your 
abundance."  "That  is  your  mistake," 
said  she,  "  for  he  hath  but  lent  it  to  me, 
that  I  might  bestow  it  on  such  as  you." 


38  A  STRING   OF   PEAELS, 

He  is  not  a  covetous  man,  avIio  lays 
up  sometliing  providentiallj^,  but  he  is  a 
covetous  man,  wlio  gives  out  notliing 
willingly.  He  is  as  prudent  a  man  who 
sometimes  distributes  discreetly,  as  he 
who  accumulates  hastily.  Men,  fre- 
quently, discover  more  wisdom  in  laying 
07//j  than  in  laying  ^ip. 


Seneca,  the  heathen,  inculcates  a  prin- 
ciple worthy  of  the  credence  of  every 
christian:  "I  believe  I  truly  enjoy  no 
more  of  the  world's  affluence  than  what 
I  willingly  distribute  to  the  necessitous." 


Some  observe  that  the  most  barren 
grounds,  are  nearest  to  the  richest  mines. 
It  is  too  often  true,  in  a  spiritual  sense, 
that  those  whom  God  hath  made  the 
most  fruitful  in  estates,  are  most  barren 
in  good  works.  It  is  too  generally  true, 
that  the  rich  spend  their  substance  wan- 
tonly, while   the   poor  give  theix  alms 


FROM   AX    OLD    CASKET.  39 

willingly.  A  penny  comes  with  moj-e 
difficulty  out  of  a  bag  that  is  pressing 
full,  tlian  a  shilling  out  of  a  purse  that 
is  half  empty.  Wherefore  doth  the 
Lord  make  your  cup  run  over,  but  that 
other  men's  lips  might  taste  the  liquor  ? 
The  showers  that  fall  upon  the  highest 
mountains  should  glide  in  the  lowest 
valleys.  "Give,  and  it  shall  be  given, 
you,"  is  a  maxim  little  believed. 


God,  who  might  have  made  all  men 
wealthy,  has  made  most  men  poor,  that 
the  poor  might  have  Christ  for  an  ex- 
ample of  patience,  and  the  rich  for  an 
example  of  goodness.  Cruelty  is  one 
of  the  highest  scandals  to  I3iety.  God 
looks,  not  so  much  on  the  merits  of  the 
beggar,  as  upon  the  mercy  of  the  giver. 


It  is  reported  of  one  of  the  dukes  of 
Savoy,  that  being  asked  by  certain  am- 
bassadors at  his  court,  what  hounds  he 


40  A   STKING   OF   PEARLS, 

kept,  be  conducted  them  into  a  large 
room,  where  there  were  a  number  of 
poor  people  sitting  at  table.  "  These," 
said  he,  ''are  all  the  hounds  I  have  upon 
earth,  and  with  whom  I  am  in  pursuit 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  It  is  counted 
an  honor  to  live  like  princes,  but  it  is  a 
greater  honor  to  give  like  princes. 


I  know  no  better  way  to  preserve 
your  meal,  than  by  parting  with  your 
cake.  Large  springs  should  send  forth 
their  waters  without  pumping.  Your 
benevolence  should  seek  the  poor,  before 
the  poor  seek  your  benevolence.  "  Put 
on  therefore,  (as  the  elect  of  God,)  bowels 
of  mercy."  He  that  hath  put  off  the 
bowels  of  compassion,  hath  put  off  the 
badge  of  election.  Many  can  love  at 
their  tongue's  end,  but  the  godly  love 
at  their  finger's  ends.  If  a  man  be 
naked,  it  is  easy  for  the  miser  to  bid  him 
to  be  clothed ;  or  if  he  be  empty  he  can 


FKOM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  41 

easily  bid  liim  be  filled ;  as  if  poor  Chris- 
tians, were  like  cliameleoHs,  able  to  live 
upon  tlie  air.  Liberality  does  not  con- 
sist in  good  wishes,  but  in  good  works. 
The  doubtful  are  to  be  relieved  by  our 
counsel,  but  the  necessitous  are  to  be 
relieved  by  our  morsels.  '^  HosiDitality 
is  seed,  and  the  husbandman  does  not 
become  wealthy  by  saving,  but  by  sow- 
ing of  his  seed." 


HUMILITY. 

Our  first  fall  was  by  rising  against 
God,  but  our  best  rise,  is  by  falling 
down  before  him.  The  acknowledg- 
ment of  our  own  impotence  is  the  only 
stock  upon  which  the  Lord  ingrafts 
divine  assistance.  He  is  the  most  lovely 
professor,  who  is  the  most  lowly  profes- 
sor. As  incense  smells  the  sweetest, 
when  it  is  beaten  smallest,  so  saints  look 
fairest,  when   they  lie   lowest.      Arro- 


42  A   STRING   OF   PEARLS, 

gance  in  the  soul  resembles  the  spleen 
in  the  body,  which  grows  most  while 
other  parts  are  decaying.  God  will  not 
suffer  such  a  weed  to  grow  in  his  garden, 
without  taking  some  course  to  root  it 
up.  A  believer  ""is  like  a  vessel  cast 
into  the  sea,  the  more  it  fills,  the  more 
it  sinks.  '^  Pride  goeth  before  destruc- 
tion, and  a  haughty  spirit,  before  a  fall." 
The  flowing  river  quickly  turns  to  an 
ebbing  water.  It  is  not  all  the  world 
that  can  pull  an  humble  man  down,  be- 
cause God  will  exalt  him ;  nor  is  it  all 
the  world  that  can  keep  a  proud  man 
up,  because  God  will  debase  him. 


The  first  Adam  was  for  self-advance- 
ment, but  the  second  Adam  is  for  self- 
abasement  ;  the  former  was  for  having 
self  deified,  the  latter  is  for  having  self 
crucified. 


God  resisteth  the  proud,  but  giveth 


FROM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  43 

grace  -unto  the  humble.  Give  me  the 
homely  vessel  of  humility,  which  God 
shall  preserve  and  fill  with  the  wine  of 
his  grace,  rather  than  the  varnished  cup 
of  pride,  which  he  will  dash  in  pieces 
like  a  potter's  vessel.  Where  humility 
is  the  corner-stone,  there  glory  shall  be 
the  top-stone. 


Though  repentance  be  the  act  of  man, 
yet  it  is  the  gift  of  God ;  it  requires  the 
same  power  to  melt  the  heart  as  to  make 
it.  Though  repentance  be  not  a  par- 
don's obtainer,  yet  it  is  a  pardon's  fore- 
runner. There  is  no  coming  to  the  fair 
haven  of  glory,  without  sailing  through 
the  narrow  straits  of  repentance.  Christ 
Jesus  rejoiceth  over  those  as  blessed, 
who  mourn  over  themselves  as  cursed. 
"  Blessed  are  they  that  mourn,  for  they 
shall  be  comforted."  Out  of  the  saltest 
water,  God  can  brew  the  sweetest  li- 
quor.    The  skilful  bee  gathers  the  best 


44  A   STEING 

honey,  from  the  bitterest  herbs.  When 
the  cloud  has  been  dissolved  into  a 
shower,  there  presently  follows  a  glori- 
ous sunshine.  .The  more  a  stone  is 
wounded  by  the  hand  of  the  engraver, 
the  greater  beauty  is  superinduced  there- 
on. By  groans  unutterable,  the  Lord 
ushers  in,  joys  unspeakable. 


There  are  two  things  in  our  sins,  the 
devilishness  of  them,  and  the  dangerous- 
ness  of  them,  Now  take  a  saint  and  a 
sinner ;  the  first  says, — "  What  have  I 
done?"  the  last  says, — ^' What  must  I 
suffer?"  One  morns  for  the  active  evil, 
the  other  for  the  passive  evil.  The 
former  grieves  because  his  soul  is  de- 
filed; the  latter  because  his  soul  is  con- 
demned. Water  may  gush  from  a  rock, 
when  it  is  smitten  with  a  rod,  but  all 
such  streams  are  lost,  for  they  neither 
quench  the  flames  of  hell,  nor  fill  God's 
bottles  in  heaven. 


FEOM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  45 

Sinful  arrogance  usually  attends  crea- 
ture confidence.  Worldly  wealtbiness 
is  a  quill  to  swell  tlie  bladder  of  liigh- 
mindedness;  for  when  men's  estates 
are  lifted  up,  it  is  but  too  common  for 
men's  hearts  to  be  puffed  up.  Ah !  liow 
fond  is  thin  dust  of  thick  clay.  Pride 
breeds  in  o-reat  estates,  as  worms  do  in 
in  sweet  fruits. 


Remember  Christian,  if  you  be  poor 
in  world,  you  should  be  rich  in  faith ; 
and  if  you  be  rich  in  this  world,  you 
should  be  poor  in  spirit.  The  way 
to  ascend  is  to  descend;  the  deeper  a 
tree  roots,  the  wider  do  its  branches 
spread.  The  sun  of  prosperity  shines 
the  clearest  in  the  sphere  of  humility. 
The  true  nobility  of  the  mind  consists 
in  the  humbleness  of  the  mind.  Con- 
sider that  as  none  have  so  little,  but 
they  have  great  cause  to  bless  God,  so 


46  A   STRING   OF    TEARLS, 

none  have  so  mucTi,  as  to  have  the  least 
cause  to  boast  before  God. 


Shall  the  theatrical  vagrant  be  proud 
of  his  borrowed  robes^  or  the  mud  wall 
swell  because  the  beams  of  a  beautiful 
sun  shine  upon  it  ?  Gold  in  your  bags, 
may  make  you  great,  but  it  is  grace  in 
your  hearts,  which  makes  you  good. 
Goodness  without  greatness,  shall  be 
esteemed,  when  greatness  without  good- 
ness, shall  be  confounded.  Proud  sin- 
ners are  the  fittest  companions  for  proud 
devils.  The  more  prosperity  man  en- 
joys, the  more  humility  God  enjoiDs. 
Nature  teaches  us  that  those  trees  bend 
the  most  freely,  which  bear  the  most 
fully.  As  a  proud  heart  loves  none 
but  itself,  so  it  is  beloved  by  none  but 
itself. 


It  is  a  difficult  matter  to  be  grand  in 
the  estimation  of  others,  and  base  in  our 


FROM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  47 

own.  The  face  of  no  mere  man  ever 
shone  so  illustriously,  as  that  of  the  an- 
cient Jewish  lawgiver's,  and,  yet  it  is 
affirmed  that  no  man's  heart  was  ever 
so  meek ;  but  most  men  resemble  chame- 
leons, which  no  sooner  take  in  the  air, 
than  they  begin  to  swell. 

Under  the  Levitical  law,  the  lamb 
and  dove  were  offered  in  sacrifice,  when 
the  lion  and  the  eagle  were  rejected. 

A  proud  person  thinks  every  thing 
too  much,  that  is  done  hy  him,  and 
every  thing  too  little,  that  is  done  for 
him.  God  is  as  far  from  pleasing  him 
with  his  gifts,  as  he  is  from  pleasing- 
God  with  his  works.  I  will  not  say  a 
good  man  is  never  proud,  but  I  will 
say,  a  proud  man  is  never  good. 


HYPOCRISY 


A  hyprocrite  may  be  both  the  fairest 
and  the  foulest  creature  in  the  world ; 


48  A   STRING    OF   PEARLS, 

he  may  be  fairest,  outwardly,  in  the 
sight  of  men,  and  foulest,  inwardly,  in 
the  sight  of  God.  The  dial  of  our  faces, 
does  not  infallibly  show  the  time  of  day 
in  our  hearts.  Unclean  spirits  may  in- 
habit the  chamber,  when  they  look  not 
out  of  the  window.  Hypocrites  resemble 
looking-glasses,  Avhich  present  the  faces, 
that  are  not  in  them.  None  are  so 
black  in  the  eyes  of  the  Deity,  as  those 
who  paint  for  spiritual  beauty. 

Some  persons  are  better  in  show  than 
in  substance,  but  not  so  with  true  Chris- 
tians ;  they  are  not  like  painted  tombs 
which  enclose  decayed  bones.  "  The 
king's  daughter  is  all  glorious  within." 
She  is  all  glorious  within,  though  with- 
in is  not  all  her  glory. 


A  false  friend  is  worse  than  an  open 
enemy.  A  painted  harlot  is  less  dan- 
gerous, than  a  painted  hypocrite.  A 
treacherous  Judas,  is  more  abhorred  of 


FEOM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  49 

(rod  than  a  bloody  Pilate.  The  blazing 
lamps  of  foolish  virgins  may  light  them 
to  the  bridegroom's  gate,  but  not  into  his 
chamber.  Either  get  the  nature  of 
Christ  within  you^  or  take  not  the 
honours  of  Christians  upon  you. 


FOKGIVENE  SS. 

"  Let  not  the  sun  go  down  upon  your 
wrath,  neither  give  place  to  the  devil." 
He  that  carries  passions  to  bed  with 
him,  will  find  the  devil  creep  between 
the  sheets;  and  why  should  we  give 
place  to  him,  who  crowds  in,  so  fast 
himself. 


How  many  are  there,  who  profess  to 
forgive,  but  cannot  forget  an  injury ! 
Such  are  like  persons  who  sweep  the 
chamber,  but  leave  the  dust  behind  the 
door.  Whenever  we  grant  our  offend- 
ing  brethren   a   discharge,  our  hearts 

4 


60  A   STRING   OF   PEARLS, 

also  should  set  their  hands  to  the  ac- 
quittance. We  should  not  only  break 
the  teeth  of  malice  by  forgiveness,  but 
pluck  out  its  sting  by  forgetfulness. 
To  store  our  memories  with  a  sense  of 
injuries,  is  to  fill  that  chest  with  rusty 
iron,  which  was  made  for  refined  gold. 

To  do  evil  for  good,  is  human  cor- 
ruption; to  do  good  for  good,  is  civil 
retribution ;  but  to  do  good  for  evil,  is 
Christian  perfection.  Though  this  be 
not  the  grace  of  nature,  yet  it  is  the  na- 
ture of  grace. 


REPROOF. 

There  is  much  discretion  to  be  ob- 
served in  reprehension ;  a  word  will  do 
more  with  some,  than  a  blow  with  others. 
A  Venice  glass  is  not  to  be  rubbed  so 
hard  as  a  brazen  kettle.  Dashing 
storms  do  but  destroy  the  seed,  while 
gentle  showers   nourish  it.     In  repre- 


FROM   AN    OLD    CASKET.  51 

hension  we  should  always  beware  of 
carrying  our  teeth  in  our  tongues,  and 
of  biting  while  we  are  speaking.  We 
should  do  with  others'  sins  as  we  do 
with  our  own  sores;  which  if  a  gentle 
scar  will  produce  a  sufficient  discharge, 
we  avoid  cutlery  and  slashing.  If 
ravenous  birds  can  be  frayed  away  by 
a  look,  we  need  not  expend  powder  and 
shot. 


Flatterers  may  be  termed  the  devil's 
upholsterers,  who  no  sooner  see  men 
troubled  at  their  lusts,  than  they  are  for 
laying  pillows  under  their  elbows  ;  but 
let  such  know,  that  their  want  of  the 
fire  of  zeal,  will  be  punished  with  the 
fire  of  hell. 


DUTIES. 


When  the  purest  duties  have  been 
performed,  the  purest   mercies    should 


52  A   STEIXG   OF   PEARLS, 

be  implored.  Many  have  passed  tlie 
rocks  of  gross  sins,  wlio  have  suficred 
shipwreck  upon  the  sands  of  self-righte- 
ousness. Some  people  live  more  upon 
their  customs,  than  they  do  upon  Christ; 
more  upon  the  prayers  they  make  to 
God,  than  upon  the  God  to  whom  they 
make  their  prayers.  This  is  for  the 
redeemed  captive  to  reverence  the  sword 
instead  of  the  hand,  which  wrought  his 
rescue. 


Duties  are  like  dry  pits,  though  never 
so  curiously  wrought,  till  Christ  fill 
them.  If  you  be  found  in  your  own 
righteousness,  you  will  be  lost  by  your 
own  righteousness.  The  garment,  which 
was  worn  to  shreds  on  AdamrCs  hack 
loill  never  make  a  complete  covering  for 
mine. 


Duties  may  be  good  crutches  to  go 
upon,  but  they  are  bad  Christ s  to  lean 


FROM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  53 

upon.  It  is  tlie  greatest  disparagement 
that  Christians  can  offer  to  Christ  to 
put  their  services  in  equipage  with  his 
sufferings.  The  beggarly  rags  of  the 
first  Adam  must  never  be  put  on  with 
the  princely  robe  of  the  second  Adam. 


To  undertake  every  duty,  and  yet  to 
overlook  every  duty^  is  a  lesson  none 
can  learn  but  Christ's  scholars.  Our 
obedience  at  best,  is  like  good  wine 
which  relishes  of  a  bad  cask.  The  law 
of  God  will  not  take  ninety-nine  for  a 
hundred.  It  will  not  accept  the  coin  of 
our  obedience,  either  short  in  quantity, 
or  bas3  in  quality.  The  duty  it  exacts 
is  as  impossible  to  be  performed  in  this, 
our  fallen  state,  as  the  penalty  it  in- 
flicts, is  intolerable  to  be  endured  in 
our  eternal  state. 


"We  do  not  sail  to  glory  in  the  salt 
sea  of  our  own  tears,  but  in  the  red  sea 


54  A   STRING    OF   PEAELS, 

of  a  Redeemer's  blood.  The  cross  of 
Christ  is  the  key  of  Paradise.  We  owe 
the  life  of  our  souls,  to  the  death  of  our 
Saviour.  It  was  his  going  into  the  fur- 
nace, which  keeps  us  from  the  flames. 
Man  lives  by  death ;  his  natural  life 
is  preserved,  by  the  death  of  the  crea- 
ture, his  spiritual  life  by  the  death  of 
the  Redeemer. 


As  God  has  none  the  less,  for  the 
mercy  he  gives,  so  he  has  none  the 
more,  for  the  duty  he  receives.  Man  is 
such  a  debtor  to  God  that  he  can  never 
pay  his  due  to  God ;  yea,  the  more  we 
pay  him,  the  more  we  owe  him,  for  our 
payments.  It  is  Christ  only,  who  is  the 
righteousness  of  God  to  man,  and  man 
to  God.  We  are  so  far  from  paying  the 
utmost  farthing,  that  at  the  utmost  we 
have  not  a  farthing  to  pay.  That  man 
will  be  a  miserable  spectacle  of  vanity, 


FROM   AN   OLD    CASKET.  55 

who  stands  upon  the  lame  feet  of  his 
own  ability. 

As  many  do  the  things  which  God 
dislikes,  so  they  dislike  the  things  which 
God  does.  If  the  children  of  Israel  ob- 
tain no  meat  for  their  lusts,  then  they 
are  weary  of  their  lives.  They  are  de- 
lighted with  thei^  burning  corruptions, 
but  are  enraged  with  their  trying  con- 
ditions ;  which  is  nothing  less  than  to 
be  in  love  with  their  malady,  and  out 
of  love  with  their  remedy.  They  studied 
more  how  to  gratify  their  humours,  than 
to  satisfy  their  hunger.  They  com- 
plained of  the  shoe,  but  the  disease  lay 
in  the  foot. 


It  is  hard  to  carry  a  full  cup  without 
shedding,  or  to  stand  under  a  heavy  load 
without  bowing.  It  is  dif&cult  to  walk 
in  the  clear  day  of  prosperity  without 
wandering,  or  in  the  dark  night  of  ad- 


56  A   STEING    OF   PEARLS, 

versity,  Avithout  stumbling;  but,  from 
whatsoever  point  the  wind  blows,  the 
skilful  mariner  knows  how  to  meet  it 
with  his  sails. 


PROSPERITY. 

Outward  prosperity  cannot  create  in- 
ward tranquillity.  Hearts-ease  is  a 
flower  that  never  grew  in  the  world's 
garden.  The  ground  of  a  wicked  man's 
trouble  is  not  because  he  has  not  enough 
of  the  creature,  but  because  he  cannot 
find  enough  in  the  creature.  Some  are 
satisfied  under  the  hand  of  God,  because 
they  are  not  sensible  of  the  hand  of 
God.  They  never  fret^  because  they 
never /ee?. 


Believers  should  be  like  sheep,  which 
change  their  pastures  at  the  will  of  the 
shepherd;  or  like  vessels  in  a  house, 
which  stand  to  be  filled  or  emptied,  at 


FROM   AX   OLD   CASKET.  57 

the  pleasure  of  tlie  owner.  He  that 
sails  upon  the  sea  of  this  world,  on  his 
own  bottom,  will  sink  at  last  into  a  bot- 
tomless ocean.  Never  were  any  their 
own  carvers,  but  they  were  sure  to  cut 
their  own  fingers. 


A  covetous  man  is  fretful,  because  he 
has  not  so  much  as  he  desires, — but  a 
gracious  man  is  thankful,  because  he  has 
more  than  he  deserves.  It  is  true,  I 
have  not  the  sauce,  but  then  I  merit  not 
the  meat.  I  have  not  the  lace^  but  then 
I  deserve  not  the  coat.  I  want  that 
which  may  support  my  dignity,  but  I 
have  that  which  supplies  my  necessity. 


There  is  no  gathering  a  rose  without 
a  thorn,  till  we  come  to  Immanuel's 
land.  If  there  was  nothing  but  showers, 
we  should  conclude  the  world  would  be 
drowned  ;  if  nothing  but  sunshine,  we 
should  fear  the  earth  would  be  burned. 


58  A   STKING   OF   PEAELS, 

Our  worldly  comforts  would  be  a  sea  to 
drown  us,  if  our  crosses  were  not  a 
plank  to  save  us. 


CONTENTMENT. 

A  contented  heart  is  an  even  sea  in 
the  midst  of  all  storms.  It  is  like  a 
tree  in  autumn,  which  secures  its  life 
when  it  has  lost  its  leaves.  Content- 
ment is  the  best  food  to  preserve  a  sound 
man,  and  the  best  medicine  to  restore  a 
sick  man.  He  is  not  a  poor  man  that 
hath  but  little,  but  he  is  a  poor  man 
that  wants  much.  In  this  sense,  the 
poorest  are  often  the  richest,  and  the 
richest  the  poorest.  Though  every 
godly  man  may  not  always  be  contented, 
yet  every  truly  contented  man  is  godly. 


As  Seneca  said  to  Polybius; — "Never 
complain  of  thy  hard  fortune,  so  long  as 
Caesar  is   thy  friend,"  so  say  I  to  thee. 


FEOM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  59 

"  Never  complain  of  thy  hard  fortune, 
Christian,  so  long  as  Jesus  is  thy  friend. 
Let  your  condition  be  never  so  flour- 
ishing, it  is  a  hell  without  him ;  let  it 
be  never  so  fluctuating,  it  is  a  heaven 
with  him.  Can  that  man  want  any 
thing  who  enjoys  Christ  ?  or  can  he  be 
said  to  enjoy  any  thing  who  is  without 
Christ?  AYhy  should  Hagar  lament 
the  loss  of  the  water  in  her  bottle,  while 
there  is  a  well  so  near?" 


SELF-KKOWLEDGE. 

"  Censorious  men  commonly  take  up 
magnifying  glasses  to  look  at  other  peo- 
ple's imperfections,  and  diminishing 
glasses  to  look  at  their  own  enormities." 
"  They  are  fittest  to  find  fault,  in  whom 
there  is  no  fault  to  be  found.  There  is 
no  removing  blots  from  the  paper,  by 
laying  upon  them  a  blurred  finger. 
"  Thou  hypocrite,  first  cast  out  the  beam 


60  A   STRI^^G   OF   PEARLS, 


out  of  thine  own  eye,  and  then  -shalt 
thou  see  clearly  to  cast  out  the  mote  out 
of  thy  brother's  eye."  Eeader,  what  do 
you  get  by  throwing  stones  at  your 
enemies'  windows,  while  your  own  chil- 
dren look  out  at  the  casements  ?  He 
that  blows  into  a  heap  of  dust,  is  in 
danger  of  putting  out  his  own  eyes. 


Reader,  are  there  not  the  same  lusts 
lodging  in  your  heart,  that  are  reigning 
in  other  men's  lives  ?  The  reason  why 
there  is  so  little  self-condemnation,  is 
because  there  is  so  little  self-examina- 
tion. For  want  of  this,  many  persons 
are  like  travellers,  skilled  in  other  coun- 
tries, but  ignorant  of  their  own.  As  it 
is  an  evidence,  that  those  tradesmen  are 
embarrassed  in  their  estates,  who  are 
afraid  to  look  into  their  books,  so  it  is 
plain  that  there  is  something  wrong 
within,  among  all  those  who  are  afraid 
to  look  within.     The  trial  of  ourselves, 


FROM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  61 

is  the  ready  road  to  the  knowledge  of 
ourselves.  He  that  buys  a  jewel  in  a 
case,  deserves  to  be  cozened  with  a 
Bristol  stone." 


Eeader^  wliy  will  you  search  another 
man's  wound,  while  your  own  is  bleed- 
ing ?  Take  heed  that  your  own  vesture 
be  not  full  of  dust,  when  you  are  brush- 
ing your  neighbours.  Complain  not  of 
dirty  streets,  when  heaps  lie  at  your 
own  doors.  Many  peoj)le  are  no  longer 
well,  than  while  they  are  holding  their 
fingers,  upon  another  person's  sores ; 
such  are  no  better  in  their  conduct,  than 
crows  which  prey  only  upon  carrion. 
"  But  let  every  man  prove  his  own  work 
and  then  he  shall  have  rejoicing  in 
himself  alone,  and  not  in  another."  For 
want  of  self-examination,  men  have  their 
accounts  to  cast  tip,  when  they  should 
have  them  to  deliver  up.  They  have 
their  evidences  of  grace  to  seek,  when 


62  A  STRING   OF   PEARLS, 

they  should  have  them  to  show.  They 
lie  down,  with  such  hopes,  in  their  beds 
of  rest,  with  which  they  dare  not  lie 
down  in  their  beds  of  dust.  If  you 
must  needs  be  a  judge,  then  pray  sit 
upon  your  own  bench.  I  shall  ever 
esteem  such  to  be  but  religious  lepers, 
who  care  not  for  Scripture  looking 
glasses.  Self-examination  is  the  beaten 
path  to  perfection ;  it  is  like  fire,  which 
not  only  trie^  the  gold,  but^9//r?^es  it 
also.  The  sight  of  yourself  in  grace, 
will  bring  you  to  the  sight  of  God  in 
glory.  The  plague  of  the  body  is  not 
every  man's  plague,  but  the  plague  of 
the  soul  is. 


YOUTHFTTL     PIETY. 

In  the  distillation  of  strong  waters, 
the  first  drawn  is  fullest  of  spirits.  ' '  The 
first,  of  the  first  fruits  of  thy  land  thou 
shalt  bring  into  the  house  of  the   Lord 


FROM   AN   OLD  CASKET.  63 

thy  God."  God  prizes  a  Christian  in 
the  bud,  and  delights  in  the  blossoms  of 
youth,  above  the  sheddings  of  old  age. 
Naturalists  inform  us  that  the  most 
orient  pearls  are  generated  of  the  morn- 
ino:  dew. 


To  discover  grace  in  an  old  sinner  is 
well,  but  to  view  it  in  vigorous  youth, 
is  better.  All  the  beasts  of  sacrifice 
were  offered  to  God  in  their  prime. 
Jesus  was  carried  in  triumph  upon  a 
colt,  the  foal  of  an  ass.  When  the 
snow  drops  of  youth  appear  in  the  gar- 
den of  the  church,  it  evinces  that  there 
is  a  glorious  summer  approaching. 


If  youth  be  sich  of  the  ivill-nots^  old 
age  is  in  danger  of  dying  of  the  shall- 
nots.  It  is  hard  to  cast  off  the  devil's 
yoke,  when  we  have  worn  it  long  upon 
our  necks.  "  Can  a  man  be  born  again 
when  he  is  old  ?"     Grace  seldom  grafts 


64  A   STKIXG   OF   PEARLS, 

upon  siicli  withered  stocks.  An  old 
sinner  is  nearer  to  tlie  second  death, 
than  he  is  to  the  second  birth.  If  God's 
to-day  be  too  soon  for  thy  repentance, 
thy  to-morrow  may  be  too  late  for  his 
acceptance.  Mercy's  clock  does  not  al- 
ways strike  at  our  back. 


PERSEVERANCE. 

I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  begin- 
ning and  the  ending ;  the  first  and  the 
last.  He  that  is  the  first  and  the  last, 
should  be  served,  from  the  first  to  the 
last.  For  what  is  setting  out,  without 
holding  out.  Mutability  is,  at  best,  but 
the  badge  of  infirmity.  God  hath  a 
crown  for  the  runner,  but  a  curse  for  the 
runaway.  God  accounts  not  himself 
served  at  all,  if  he  be  not  always  served. 


The  devil  would  soon  put  out  our  can- 
dles, if  Christ  did  not  carry  them  in  his 


FROM  AN  OLD  CASKET.  65 

lantern.  ''Be  not  weary  in  well  doing, 
for  in  due  time,  we  sliall  reap,  if  we 
faint  not."  To  see  a  ship  sink  in  tlie 
liarbour  of  profession,  is  more  grievous, 
than  if  it  had  perished  in  the  open  sea 
of  profaneness. 

Some  have  beat  Jehu's  march ;  they 
have  driven  furiously  in  religion,  but 
within  a  few  years  they  have  knocked 
off  their  chariot  wheels.  After  they 
have  lifted  up  their  hands  to  God,  they 
have  lifted  up  their  heels  against  him. 
That  man's  beginning  was  in  hypocrisy, 
whose  ending  is  in  apostasy.  Eeader, 
you  look  for  happiness,  so  long  as  God 
hath  a  being  in  heaven ;  and  God  looks 
for  holiness  so  long  as  you  have  a  being 
on  earth.  He  that  draius  hack  from  his 
])rofession  in  earth,  shall  be  kept  hack 
from  his  possession  in  heaven. 


When  once  that  fire  which  is  laid  on 

6 


QQ  A   STEING   OF   PEARLS, 

God's  altar  is  kindled,  it  shall  no  more 
be  quenched.  Grace  may  be  shaken  in 
the  soul,  but  it  cannot  be  shaken  out  of 
the  soul.  It  may  be  a  bruised  reed, 
but  it  shall  never  be  a  broken  reed. 


Jesus  Christ  is  never  a  father  to  abor- 
tive children.  Where  he  gives  strength 
to  conceive,  he  gives  strength  to  bring 
forth.  He  turns  the  bruised  reed  into 
a  brazen  pillar,  and  the  smoking  flax 
into  a  prevailing  flame. 


The  enemies  of  the  church  may  toss 
her  as  waves ;  but  they  shall  not  split 
her  as  rocks.  She  may  be  dipped  in 
water  as  a  feather  ;  but  shall  not  sink 
therein  as  lead.  He  that  is  a  well  of 
water  within  her,  to  keep  her  from 
fainting,  will,  also,  prove  a  wall  of  lire 
about  her,  to  preserve  her  from  falling. 
Tried  she  may  be,  but  destroyed  she  can- 
not be.     Her  foundation  is  the  rock  of 


FROM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  67 

ages,  and  lier   defence  the   everlasting 
arms. 

It  is  dangerous  to  smite  tliose  with 
our  tongues,  whom  God  has  smitten  with, 
his  hand.  His  right  to  correct  is  not 
ours. 


THE  christian's  PRESENT 
POSSESSION  AND  FUTURE 
EXPECTATION. 

Some  say  that  a  bird  in  the  hand,  is 
worth  two  in  the  bush ;  but  surely  such 
a  bird  in  the  bush,  is  worth  two  in  the 
hand.  If  others  dote  upon  the  streams^ 
let  us  admire  the  fountain. 


When  the  Gauls  had  tasted  the  wino 
of  Italy,  they  asked  where  the  grapes 
grew ;  and  would  not  be  satisfied  till 
they  came  there.  Thus  may  you  cry^ 
''Ah  that  I  had  the  wings  of  a  dove, 
that  I  might  fly  away  and  be  at  rest.'' 


68  A  STRING  OF   PEARLS, 

A  believer  is  willing  to  lose  the  luorld, 
for  the  enjoyment  of  grace;  and  \iq  is 
willing  to  leave  the  world  for  the  frui- 
tion of  glory. 


That  which  makes  hell  so  full  of  hor- 
ror, is  that  it  is  below  all  hopes ;  that 
which  makes  heaven  so  full  of  splendour, 
is  that  it  is  above  all  fears.  The  one  is 
a  night  without  the  return  of  day,  the 
other  is  a  day  free  from  the  approach 
of  nipcht. 


If  there  be  so  much  delight  in  heliev- 
ing,  ah,  how  much  more  is  there  in  be- 
holding! What  is  wooing  day  to  the 
wedding  day!  What  is  the  sealing  of 
the  conveyance,  to  the  enjoyment  of  the 
inheritance,  or  the  foretastes  of  glory  to 
the  fulfilment  of  glory!  The  good 
things  of  that  life,  are  so  great  as  not  to 
be  measured ;  so  many  as  not  to  be  enu- 
merated ;  and  so  precious  as  not  to  be 


FROM  AN   OLD   CASKET.  69 

estimated.  If  the  picture  of  holiness  be 
so  comely  in  its  rough  drcfft,  how  lovely 
a  piece  will  it  be  in  all  its  perfections. 
Every  grace,  which  is  here  seen  in  its 
minority,  shall  be  seen  there  in  its  ma- 
turity. 

god's    cognizance     of     men. 

A  man  may  hide  God  from  himself, 
and  yet  he  cannot  hide  himself  from 
God.  When  a  man  wishes  God  to  be 
like  himself,  it  argues  that  he  is  vicious ; 
but  when  he  desires  to  be  like  God,  it 
indicates  that  he  is  virtuous. 


"We  cannot  always  see  God's  will  in 
his  works,  but  he  can  always  discover 
our  works  in  our  will.  To  him,  the 
most  hidden  roots  are  as  visible  as  the 
uppermost  branches.  Though  the  place 
where  we  sin,  be  to  men  as  dark  as 
Egypt,  yet  to  God  it  is  as  light  as  Goshen. 


70  A   STRING   OF   PEARLS, 

The  Lord  sees  faults,  where  men  see 
none.  Atoms  which  are  invisible  in  the 
candle  light  of  reason,  are  all  made  to 
dance  naked,  in  the  sunshine  of  om- 
niscience. Cato  was  so  grave  and  so 
good  a  man,  that  none  would  behave 
unseemly  in  his  presence;  whence  it 
grew  to  be  a  proverbial  caveat; — "Take 
heed  what  you  do,  for  Cato  sees  you." 
How  reproachful  is  it  to  us,  that  the 
eyes  of  a  man  should  have  more  effect 
upon  our  manners,  than  the  penetrating 
eyes  of  God. 


God  hath  a  glazed  window  in  the 
darkest  houses  of  clay ;  He  sees  what  is 
done  in  them  when  none  other  can.  To 
God's  omnipotence  there  is  nothing  im- 
possible ;  and  to  God's  omniscience  there 
is  nothino^  invisible. 


Because  sin  hath  put  out  out  eyes,  we 
vainly  imagine   that   it   hath   put   out 


FEOM   AN"   OLD   CASKET.  71 

God's.  Because  we  beliolcl  not  what  lie 
does  in  lieaven  for  us,  we  think  that  he 
sees  not,  what  we  do  on  earth  against 
him. 


Thus  the  rich  man  dealt  with  his 
steward ;  "  Give  an  account  of  thy 
stewardship,  for  thou  mayest  be  no 
longer  steward."  Man's  enjoyment  of 
outward  blessings,  is  not  a  lordship,  but  a 
stewardship.  God  communicates  those 
good  things  of  life  to  men,  not  that  they 
should  lay  them  up  for  their  own  vanity, 
but  that  they  should  lay  them  out  for 
his  glory. 


This  is  the  day  of  GocVs  long  suffer- 
ings ;  but  the  judgment  day,  will  be  the 
day  of  the  sinner'' s  long-suffering.  Here 
the  cords  of  patience  do,  as  it  were,  tie 
the  hands  of  vengeance ;  but  our  Samson 
may  at  last  be  roused,  and  break  all 
these  cords,  and  then  woe  be  to  all  the 


72 


Philistines.  Sinners  nicay  have  sparing 
patience  exercised  toward  them,  and 
yet  not  have  converting  grace  revealed 
in  them. 


In  the  awful  storm  of  death,  if  out 
vessel  be  wrecked  there  will  be  no  plank 
to  swim  to  shore  upon.  All  they  who 
refuse  and  reject  Christ  as  a  refining 
fire,  must  be  obliged  to  meet  and  feel 
him  as  a  consuming  fire.  How  can  they 
endure  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb,  who  have 
uniformly  disregarded  the  death  of  the 
Lamb  ?  If  the  night  of  death  find  them 
graceless^  the  day  of  judgment  will  find 
them  speechless. 


By  the  words  thou  shalt  be  justified, 
and  by  thy  words  thou  shalt  be  con- 
demned." Though  the  arrows  of  idle 
words  may  be  shot  out  of  sight  for  a 
season,  yet  they  will  certainly  hereafter 
fall  down  upon  the  heads  of  those  who 


FROM   AN"   OLD   CASKET.  73 

discliar2:ed  tliem,  "Out  of  the  same 
moutli  proceedetli  blessing  and  cursing." 
Than  a  good  tongue  there  is  nothing 
better ;  than  an  evil  tongue  there  is 
nothing  worse.  Jesus  Christ  will  in 
the  great  day,  pass  sentence  upon  every 
sentence  that  has  passed.  There  is  in 
the  same  rose  honey  for  the  bee,  and 
poison  for  the  spider. 


The  same  person  who  shall  say  "  Come 
ye  blessed,"  will  also  say^  ''Gro  ye 
cursed."  As  blessing  and  cursing  pro- 
ceed out  of  the  mouth  of  the  same  man, 
so  they  will  out  of  the  mouth  of  Christ. 
Man's  is  a  curse  of  wicked  execration, 
Christ's  is  a  curse  of  righteous  execu- 
tion. As  the  same  wind  may  send  one 
vessel  into  the  haven,  and  sink  another 
in  the  ocean,  so  shall  the  same  voice  of 
Christ  doom  the  sinner  to  eternal  death, 
and  welcome  the  saint  to  eternal  life. 
That  gate  which  is  opened  for  a  citizen 


74  A   STRING   OF   PEABLS, 

to  go  abroad  for  recreation,  may  also  be 
opened  for  a  malefactor  to  go  out  to 
execution. 


On  the  stage  of  eternity  the  rich 
man's  bags  will  be  emptied  to  see  how 
the  poor  man's  box  has  been  filled. 
Then  the  charge  of  the  pilgrim's  journey 
will  be  examined  in  the  steward's  ac- 
counts. There  will  not  be  a  sinner  in 
heaven  to  interrupt  the  joys  of  saints, 
nor  a  saint  in  hell  to  soften  or  soothe 
the  anguish  of  sinners.  Those  who  have 
the  ear-mark  of  election,  and  those  who 
have  the  hand-mark  of  transgression 
shall  be  put  into  separate  folds.  The 
black  hand  must  then  part  with  its  white 
glove.  That  solemn  day  will  be  too 
critical  for  the  hypocritical.  All  those 
who  now  colour  for  show,  will  then  be 
shown  in  their  own  colours. 


FROM   AX    OLD    CASKET.  75 

HEART-S  ERVICE. 

The  God  of  lieaven  and  earth  sues 
from  heaven  to  earth.  He  who  is  all  in 
all,  to  ns,  calls  for  that  which  is  all  in 
all,  in  us.  We  may  commit  onr  estates 
into  the  hands  of  men,  but  we  must  not 
commit  our  hearts  into  the  hands  of  any 
but  God.  There  are  none  of  our  spirits 
so  good  but  he  deserves  them,  or  so  bad 
but  he  can  refine  them. 


Ah,  how  unwilling  is  man  to  give, 
what  he  has  no  right  to  keep!  As  God 
prefers  the  heart  to  every  thing,  such  is 
the  wickedness  of  man  that  he  will  give 
God  any  thing  but  the  heart.  He  that 
regards  the  heart  without  any  thing,  he 
also  will  not  regard  any  thing  without 
the  heart. 


Ymn  thoughts  defile  the  heart  as  well 
as   vih  thoughts.     Snails    leave   their 


76  A  STRING  OF  PEARLS, 

slime  behind  them  as  well  as  serpents. 
If  the  leprosy  take  hold  of  a  single 
thread,  it  will  soon  spread  over  the 
whole  piece.  Though  sinful  thoughts 
will  rise,  yet  they  should  not  reign. 
Though  these  birds  may  hover  over  the 
Christian's  heart,  yet  he  cannot  wish 
them  to  build  their  nests  in  it. 


A  heart  that  is  sanctified,  is  better 
than  a  tongue  that  is  silvered.  He  that 
gives  only  the  skin  of  worship  to  God, 
receives  only  the  shell  of  comfort  from 
God.  If  God's  mercies  do  not  eat  out 
the  heart  of  our  sins,  our  sins  will  soon 
eat  out  the  heart  of  our  duties.  A  work 
that  is  heartless,  is  a  work  that  is  fruit- 
less. God  cares  not  for  the  crazy  cabinet, 
but  for  the  precious  jewel. 


It  is  said  of  Hannibal,  the  great  Car- 
thaginian commander,  that  he  was  the 
first  that  went  into   the  field  of  battle, 


FROM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  77 

and  the  last  who  came  out  of  it.  Thus 
should  it  be  in  all  the  operations  of  a 
Christian ;  the  heart  should  be  the  first 
that  comes  into  the  house  of  God^  and 
the  last  that  goes  out  of  it. 


It  is  observed  of  the  spider,  that  in 
the  morning  before  she  seeks  her  prey, 
she  mends  her  broken  web,  and  in  doing 
this,  she  always  begins  in  the  middle. 
And  shall  those  who  call  themselves 
Christians,  rise  and  pursue  the  callings 
and  profits  of  the  world,  and  yet  be  un- 
concerned about  the  broken  webs  of 
their  lives,  and  especially  of  their  hearts. 


Those  who  would  have  the  rocks  run 
with  wholesome  water,  should  look  well 
to  the  springs  that  supply  them.  The 
heart  is  the  presence  chamber,  where 
the  King  of  glory  takes  up  his  residence. 
That  which   is  the  most  worthy  in  us, 


78  A   STRING   OF   PEARLS, 

should  be  resigned  to  him  who  is  most 
worthy  of  us. 


It  is  said  of  the  Lacedemonians,  who 
were  a  poor  and  homely  people,  that 
they  offered  lean  sacrifices  to  their  gods, 
and  that  the  Athenians,  who  were  a 
wise  and  wealthy  people,  offered  fat  and 
costly  sacrifices,  and  yet  in  their  wars, 
the  former  had  always  the  mastery  of 
the  latter.  Whereupon  they  went  to 
the  oracle,  to  know  the  reason,  why 
those  should  speed  worst,  who  gave 
most.  The  oracle  returned  this  answer 
to  them  ; — "  That  the  Lacedaemonians 
were  a  people  who  gave  their  hearts  to 
their  gods ;  but  that  the  Athenians  only 
gave  their  gifts  to  their  gods.  Thus  a 
heart  without  a  gift,  is  better  than  a  gift 
without  a  heart." 


FBOM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  79 

THE     FKUIT     OF     SIN. 

Satan's  apples  may  have  a  fair  skin, 
yet  they  certainly  have  a  bitter  core. 


Sinner,  that  which  is  now  like  a  rose 
flourishing  in  your  bosom,  will  in  ^  very 
little  time  be  like  a  poisoned  dagger  at 
your  breast.  Poor  soul,  beware  of  those 
embraces  which  are  but  signals  of  de- 
struction. While  such  a  Judas  kisses, 
he  kills.  While  the  ivy  twines  round 
the  oak  it  eats  out  its  sap. 


A  saint  cannot  sin  so  as  to  destroy 
his  grace,  but  he  may  so  sin  as  to  dis- 
turb his  peace.  The  spider  cannot  de- 
stroy the  bee-hive,  but  it  may  get  in  and 
spoil  the  honey. 


The  pleasures  of  sin  are  but  for  a  sea- 
son, but  the  torments  of  unpardoned  sin, 
are  of  an   eternal  duration.     Our  first 


80  A   STRING   OF   PEARLS, 

parents  soon  ate  of  the  forbidden  fruit, 
but  the  world  to  this  day  feels  that  it  is 
not  freed  from  the  miserable  consequence 
of  that  sudden  banquet. 


Death  will  tarn  all  the  waters  of 
pleasure  into  blood.  The  serpent  of  sen- 
sual delight  always  carries  a  deadly 
stino'  in  his  tail. 


There  are  many  who  vainly  suppose 
that  the  fountain  of  their  sin  is  quite 
dried  up,  when  alas,  the  streams  are 
only  turned  into  another  channel.  A 
hand  taken  off  from  sinful  practices, 
without  a  heart  taken  off  from  sinful 
principles,  is  only  like  a  field,  which 
having,  for  a  time,  lain  fallow,  after- 
wards springs  up  with  greater  increase. 
Or  it  is  like  a  stream  which  having  been 
damned  for  a  while,  at  last  runs  with 
greater  violence,  when  the  sluices  are 
opened. 


FROM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  81 

CREATURE     VANITY. 

He  that  knocks  at  the  creature's  door 
for  supplies,  will  find  an  empty  house 
kept  there.  "All  the  rivers  run  into 
the  sea,  yet  the  sea  is  not  full."  Though 
all  the  rising  streams  of  worldly  profit 
may  run  into  the  hearts  of  men,  yet 
they  cannot  fill  up  the  hearts  of  men. 
Were  it  possible  for  the  eye  to  see  all 
that  is  to  be  seen,  yet  it  would  not  be 
satisfied  with  seeing.  If  there  be  not 
enough  in  the  world  to  satisfy  the  senses 
of  men,  how  should  there  be  enough  in 
it  to  satisfy  the  souls  of  men.  "  Those 
who  now  rejoice  in  the  world  will,  be- 
fore it  be  long  have  no  world  wherein 
to  rejoice."  Arise  ye  and  depart,  for 
this  is  not  your  rest,  because  it  is  pol- 
luted ;  it  shall  destroy  you  even  with  a 
sore  destruction. 

Hearts-ease  is  a  flower  that  grows  not 
in  the  world's  garden.     The  faster  you 


82  A   STRING   OF   PEARLS, 

grasp  the  world  in  your  hands  the  sooner 
it  slides  between  your  fingers. 


Every  thing  below  is  too  base  for  the. 
soul's  nobility,  and  too  brittle  for  the 
soul's  stability.  Who  would  set  that 
vessel  under  the  droppings  of  a  cistern, 
which  is  able  to  contain  all  the  waters 
of  the  ocean ! 


The  world  is  too  frequently  got  with 
anxious  cares,  kept  with  alarming  fears, 
and  lost  with  rending  groans.  We  see 
the  outside  of  the  great  estate,  but  not 
the  inside  of  it.  We  behold  the  field 
of  corn,  but  not  the  tares  that  are  mixed 
with  it.  We .  do  not  always  see  the 
worldling's  cloud  and  dark  nights, 
but  his  clear  day  and  sunshine.  The 
riches,  honours,  and  pleasures  of  the 
world,  are  like  spreading  but  poisonous 
trees,  and  the  deviJ  shows  us  the  fair 
leaves,  and  offers  us  the  pleasant  fruits, 


FROM   AN    OLD   CASKET.  83 

but  conceals  from  us  their  deadly  na- 
ture. 


By  how  much  higher  the  morning 
larks  are  in  their  flight,  by  so  much  the 
sweeter  are  their  notes.  The  higher  a 
Christian  is  raised  above  the  things  of 
the  earth,  the  more  he  is  ravished  with 
the  joys  of  heaven.  The  least  portion 
of  grace  is  preferable  to  a  mountain  of 
gold.  One  ray  of  mercy  is  better  than 
a  sun  of  pleasure.  One  whisper  of  love 
from  Christ's  voice,  is  worth  more  than 
all  the  symphony  of  nature.  Give  me 
that  friend  who  lives  for  ever,  and  that 
wealth  which  lasts  for  ever.  May  I 
make  choice  of  those  blessings  which 
come  freely,  satisfy  fully,  and  continue 
eternally. 


The  world  is  big  in  our  hopes,  but 
little  in  our  hands.  It  is  like  Sodom's 
apples,  beautiful  to  the  eye  at  a  distance, 


84  A   STRING   OF   PEARLS, 

but  when  they  are  touclied,  tliej  crum- 
ble into  aslies.  Pleasures  are  but  a 
shield  of  melting  wax  against  a  sword 
of  power ;  they  can  no  more  keep  an 
evil  conscience  from  tormenting,  than  a 
velvet  sleeve  can  keep  a  broken  arm 
from  aching. 


GOOD     WORKS. 

Good  works  may  be  our  Jacob's  staff 
to  walk  with  on  earth,  yet  they  cannot 
be  our  Jacob's  ladder  to  climb  to  heaven 
with.  To  lay  the  salve  of  our  services 
upon  the  wound  of  our  sins,  is  as  if  a 
man  who  is  stung  by  a  wasp,  should 
wipe  his  face  with  a  nettle,  or  as  if  a 
person  should  busy  himself  in  support- 
ing a  tottering  fabric  with  a  burning 
fire  band.  In  proof  of  sanctification, 
good  works  cannot  be  sufficiently  mag- 
nified ;  but  in  point  of  justification,  good 
works   cannot  be  sufficiently  nullified. 


FKOM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  8o 

The  lamp  of  duty  can  only  sliine  clearly 
as  it  is  trimmed  with  the  oil  of  mercy. 


It  was  not  the  tempered  clay  that 
cured  the  blind  man,  but  Christ's  anoint- 
ing his  eyes  therewith.  That  was  more 
likely  without  him  to  make  a  seeing 
man  blind,  than  a  blind  man  see.  Thus 
though  we  may  receive  our  s^Diritual 
sight  in  the  ordinances,  yet  it  is  not  the 
ordinances  which  give  the  sight.  '^It 
was  not  the  troubling  of  the  pool  in 
Bethesda  that  made  it  healing,  but  the 
coming  down  of  the  angel  into  it.  That 
man  must  famish  at  last,  who  always 
feeds  upon  the  dish  instead  of  the  meat." 


*'  Blessed  are  they  who  do  his  com- 
mandments, that  they  may  have  right 
to  the  tree  of  life."  To  look  upon  a 
promise  without  a  precept,  is  the  high 
road  to  presumption;  to  look  upon  a 
precept  without  a  promise,  is  the  high 


86  A   STRING   OF   PEARLS, 

road  to  desperation.  One  is  like  the 
cork  in  the  net  to  preserve  it  from  sink- 
ing, and  the  other  is  like  lead  in  the  net 
to  keep  it  from  floating. 


"  Israel  is  an  empty  vine,  he  brings 
forth  fruit  unto  himself"  Empty  and 
yet  fruitful;  fruitful  and  yet  empty. 
Thus  that  fertility  which  springs  up, 
from  the  bitter  roots  of  self,  has  nothing 
but  vanity  in  the  sight  of  God. 


That  tradesman  is  poor  and  needy, 
who  must  have  ready  money  for  all  he 
sells.  In  all  the  good  a  carnal  man 
doth  for  God,  he  seeks  himself  more  than 
God.  The  clock  of  his  heart  will  stand 
still,  unless  its  wheels  of  profit  be  oiled. 


Worldlings  instead  of  looking  upon 
godliness  as  their  greatest  gain,  will  look 
upon  gain,  as  their  greatest  godliness. 
They  love  religion,  not  for  the  beauty 


FROM   AN"   OLD   CASKET.  87 

existing  in  it,  but  for  the  dowry  annexed 
to  it.  Thej  are  like  tlie  fox,  who  fol- 
lows the  lion,  for  the  prey  that  is  falling 
from  him.  If  there  be  no  honey  in  the 
pot,  such  wasps  will  hover  no  longer 
about  it. 


The  less  emphasis  you  lay  upon  your 
own  works,  the  more  will  God  lay  upon 
them.  Those  who  are  most  righteous 
in  themselves,  are  least  righteous  to 
God.  God  has  three  sorts  of  servants 
in  the  world  ;  some  are  slaves  and  serve 
him  from  a  principle  of  fear  ;  others  are 
hirelings,  and  serve  him  for  the  sake  of 
wages ;  and  the  last  are  sons,  and  serve 
him  under  the  influence  of  love.  Now 
a  hireling  will  be  a  changeling  He 
that  will  not  serve  God,  except  some- 
thing be  given  him,  would  serve  the 
devil,  if  he  would  give  him  more.  Any 
one  shall  have  his  works,  if  he  will  but 
augment  his  wages. 


88  A  STEING   OF  PEA  ELS, 

"Dotli  Job;  serve  God  for  nauglit?" 
Yes,  for  Job  served  God  wlien  he  had 
naught.  He  was  as  religious  in  his 
poverty,  as  in  his  plenty.  In  this  sense, 
that  man,  who  will  not  serve  God  for 
nothing,  he  is  nothing  in  his  services. 


"Whenever  Christ  takes  the  burden 
of  guilt  from  a  sinner's  shoulders,  he 
then  lays  a  yoke  of  obedience  upon  his 
neck.  That  soul  was  never  related  to 
Christ,  who  was  never  devoted  to  Christ. 


God  works  with,  and  without  means; 
with,  that  man  should  not  be  indolent, 
and  without,  that  he  should  not  be  self- 
confident.  Jacob  makes  his  prayers  to  an 
heavenly  Father,  and  yet  presents  his 
gifts  to  an  angry  brother.  David  went 
out  against  Goliah  in  the  name  of  the 
God  of  Israel,  and  yet  repaired  to  the 
brook  for  his  smooth  stones.  The 
sword  of   Joshua    must  go  with  the 


FROM   AX   OLD   CASKET.  89 

prayers  of  Moses,  and  the  prayers  of 
Moses  accompany  tlie  sword  of  Joshua. 
Had  they  fought  and  not  prayed,  tbey 
would  have  obtained  no  victory,  because 
God  will  not  be  neglected;  had  they 
prayed  and  not  fought,  they  would  have 
obtained  no  victory,  because  he  will  not 
be  tempted. 


Wheresoever  the  death  of  Christ  clears 
a  soul  from  guilt,  the  spirit  of  Christ 
cleanses  that  soul  from  filth.  A  man 
may  be  justified  without  immediate 
glorification,  but  not  without  concomi- 
tant sanctification.  The  law  by  which 
God  rules  us  is  as  dear  to  him  as  the 
gospel  by  which  he  saves  us.  Many 
would  use  faith  as  an  eye  to  see  with, 
but  not  as  a  foot  to  walk  with.  They 
look  for  a  crown  of  victory,  but  are  un- 
willing to  fight  the  good  fight  of  faith. 
That  faith  which  sets  men  to  oppose 
their   internal   enemies,  sets   God   also 


90  A   STKING   OF   PEARLS, 

to  oppose  tlieir  external  adversaries. 
Prayer  is  the  midwife  of  the  promises. 
The  promises  are  wells  of  comfort  to  the 
church,  and  believing  prayer  is  the  ves- 
sel to  draw  the  water  out  of  the  wells. 


SllSr     WHEN     HATEFUL     NOT 
HURTFUL. 

In  playing  over  a  tune  on  an  instru- 
ment, a  single  string  may  jar  and  slip, 
and  yet  the  main  be  musical.  It  would 
be  folly  indeed  to  think  our  fields  had 
no  corn  in  them,  because  there  is  chaff 
about  the  wheat,  or  that  the  ore  had  no 
gold  in  it,  because  there  is  dross  among 
it.  In  heaven  there  is  service  alone, 
without  any  sin;  in  hell  there  is  sin 
alone  without  service;  but  on  earth 
there  is  sin  and  service  iu  the  same  man 
as  there  is  light  and  shade  in  the  same 
picture.  Christian  reader  to  condemn 
your  evil  is  good,  but  to  condemn  your 


FROM   AN    OLD   CASKET.  91 

good,  is  evil.  .  Here  believers  are  liko 
the  Israelites,  who  in  their  darkest  night 
had  a  pillar  of  fire,  and  in  their  clearest 
day  a  pillar  of  a  cloud.  Above  iis  there 
is  light  without  any  darkness ;  below 
us  there  is  darkness  without  any  light, 
but  in  this  world  it  is  neither  day  nor 
night ;  but  in  the  evening  time  it  shall 
be  light.  '•  Though  the  lowest  believer 
be  above  the  power  of  sin;  yet  the 
highest  believer  is  not  above  the  pres- 
ence of  sin."  It  is  in  a  living  Christian 
that  lust  is  to  be  mortified,  but  it  is  only 
in  a  dying  Christian  that  it  is  to  be  de- 
stroyed. 

Sin  never  ruins  but  where  it  reigns. 
It  is  not  destroying  where  it  is  disturb- 
ing. The  more  evil  it  receives  from  us, 
the  less  evil  it  does  to  us.  It  is  only  a 
murderer  where  it  is  a  governor.  The 
rose  is  a  fragrant  flower,  though  it  be 
surrounded  with  piercing  thorns.     The 


92  A   STRING   OF  PEARLS, 

passover  was  a  feast,  tho.ugli  the  Israel- 
ites ate  it  with  bitter  herbs. 


There  is  always  too  much  of  the  wild 
olive,  in  those  who  are  ingrafted  into 
the  true  olive.  Our  graces  are  our  best 
jewels,  but  they  do  not  yield  their 
brightest  lustre  in  this  world.  The 
moon  when  she  shines  brightest  has  her 
spots ;  and  the  fire  when  it  burns  the 
brightest,  hath  its  smoke. 


Sin  is  an  enemy  at  the  Christian's  back, 
but  not  a  friend  in  his  bosom.  Although 
believers  should  be  mournful  because 
they  have  infirmities,  yet  they  should 
be  thankful  because  they  are  but  infirm- 
ities. It  is  true  they  have  sin  m  them, 
and  that  should  make  them  sorrowful  ; 
but  it  is  true  that  they  have  a  Saviour 
for  them,  and  that  should  make  them 
joyful.     It  is  not  the  interposition  of  a 


FKOM  AjS"  old  casket.  93 

cloud,  but  the  departure  of  a  sun  wHcli 
constitutes  a  night. 


The  Saviour  looks  over  that  which 
is  his  own,  and  overlooks  that,  which 
is  his  people's.  Where  there  is  no 
sin  allowed  hy  them,  there  shall  be 
grains  of  allowance  to  them.  He  will 
not  throw  away  his  pearls,  for  every 
speck  of  dirt  which  may  be  on  them. 


The  conduct  of  a  Christian  may  some- 
times be  spotted  with  infirmity,  when 
the  heart  is  sound  in  the  love  of  sanctity. 
Jacob  halted,  and  yet  was  blessed.  As 
his  blessing  did  not  take  away  his  halt- 
ing, so  his  halting  did  not  keep  away 
his  blessing^. 


WATCHFULNESS. 

As  faith  is  a  grace  which  feeds  all  the 
rest,  so  fear  is  a  grace  which  guards  all 


94  A  STRING  OF   PEARLS, 

the  rest.  That  man  who  is  the  most 
watchful,  is  the  least  sinful.  He  may 
quickly  be  cast  down  by  a  sinful  temp- 
tation, who  is  already  prepared  for  it  by 
a  sinful  occasion.  Who  will  pity  that 
man  whose  house  is  blown  up  Av^ith 
powder,  if  he  keep  the  barrels  in  a 
chimney  corner. 


The  fowler  spreads  his  net,  but  the 
wings  of  the  bird  carry  her  into  it.  Do 
you  mu.rmur  for  want  of  liberty,  yet 
surrender  yourself  to  slavery  ?  If  you 
would  not  gather  the  forbidden  fruit, 
then  beware  how  you  look  in  the  tree, 
where  it  grows. 


To  pray  against  temptations,  and  yet 
to  rush  into  occasions,  is  to  thrust  your 
lingers  into  the  fire,  and  then  pray  that 
they  might  not  be  burnt.  The  fable 
saith  that  the  butterfly  enquired  of  the 
owl  how  she  should  do  with  the  candle 


FROM   AN"   OLD   CASKET.  95 

wliich  had  singed  lier  wings.  The  owl 
counselled  her  not  so  much  as  to  behold 
its  smoke.  If  you  hold  the  stirrup,  no 
wonder  if  Satan  get  into  the  saddle. 


A  careless  eye  is  an  index  to  a  grace- 
less heart.  Eemember  the  whole  world 
died  by  a  wound  in  the  eye.  The  eyes 
of  a  Christian  should  be  like  sunflowers 
wliich  are  opened  to  no  blaze  but  that 
of  the  sun. 


To  keep  the  eyes,  and  not  regard  the 
ears,  is,  as  if  a  man  should  shut  the  case- 
ments of  his  house,  and  leave  the  doors 
open  to  the  thief.  The  ear  is  an  instru- 
ment that  the  devil  loves  to  play  upon. 
As  your  ears  are  joined  to  your  head  on 
earth,  so  they  should  be  fastened  to  your 
head  in  heaven. 


A  soul  without  its  watch,  is  like  a 
city  without  its  wall,  exposed  to  the  in- 


96  A   STRIXG   OF   PEARLS, 

road  of  all  its  enemies.  Those  wlio 
would  not  fall  into  tlie  river,  should 
beware  how  thej  approach  too  near  its 
banks.  He  who  would  not  drink  of  the 
wine  of  wrath,  let  him  not  touch  the 
cup  of  pleasure.  A  person  who  carries 
gunpowder  about  him,  can  never  stand 
too  far  from  the  fire.  If  we  accompany 
sin  one  mile,  it  will  compel  us  to  go 
twain.  Yoa  will  quickly  lose  your 
standing,  if  you  are  fearless  of  falling. 
He  that  abstains  from  no  lawful  thing, 
may  soon  be  brought  to  commit  some- 
thing that  is  sinful.  Many  a  man  has 
been  thrown  out  of  the  saddle  of  profes- 
sion by  riding  with  too  slack  a  rein  of 
circumspection.  If  Achan  handle  the 
golden  wedge,  his  next  work  will  be  to 
steal  it.  If  Ruth  lie  at  the  feet  of  Boaz 
her  next  remove  may  be  into  his  bed. 
If  you  take  the  devil's  cap  into  your 
hand,  it  is  to  be  feared  that  you  will 
quickly  lift  it  to  your  head. 


FROM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  97 

The  devil  may  flatter  us,  but  he  can- 
not force  us ;  he  may  tempt  us  to  sin, 
but  he  cannot  compel  us  to  sin.  He 
could  never  come  off  a  conqueror,  were 
he  not  joined  by  our  forces.  The  fire 
is  his  but  the  tinder  is  ours.  He  could 
never  enter  our  houses  if  we  did  not  set 
open  our  doors. 


The  body  hath  two  eyes,  but  the  soul 
must  have  but  one,  and  that  so  firmly 
fixed  upon  Christ,  as  never  once  to 
glance  beside  him.  A  single  eye  is 
fittest  for  a  single  object. 


THE    EIGHT    USE    OF    MERCIES. 

All  that  a  believer  receives  is  from 
the  hand  of  divine  bounty,  and  employed 
to  the  end  of  the  divine  glory.  Others 
make  an  earthly  use  of  heavenly  things, 
but  he  makes  a  heavenly  use  of  earthly 
things.  God  can  put  a  golden  bias,  into 
7 


98 


a  leaden  bowl  that  it  may  run  true  to 
him  who  made  it.  The  more  he  oils 
our  wheels  on  earth  the  swifter  our 
chariots  move  to  heaven. 


"Whatever  mill  a  saint  has  going  in 
the  world,  he  will  spread  the  sails  of  it 
for  the  wind  of  divine  approbation  that 
it  may  move  round  for  God's  glory. 
When  God  sets  him  above  the  world, 
then  he  holds  up  God  to  the  world.  It 
is  unequal  to  be  hot  in  our  prayers  and 
cold  in  our  praises.  Many  will  cry 
aloud,  "  Give  us  this  day  our  daily 
bread,"  and  whisper  out,  "Hallowed  be 
thy  name."  This  is  like  opening  our 
windows  to  admit  the  light,  and  then 
shutting  them  closely  to  keep  out  the 
sun. 


Take  a  wicked  man,  and  you  will  not 
find  him  led  to  God  by  that  whicli  comes 
from  God.     The  more  a  dung-hill  has  the 


FBOM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  \))) 

sunbeams  upon  it,  tlie  more  noisome  is 
tlie  effluvia  arising  from  it. 


God  tries  tlie  vessel  with  water,  that 
he  may  fill  it  with  generous  wine. 
Every  stream  leads  an  observant  believer 
to  the  fountain  head.  The  more  God's 
hand  is  enlarged  in  blessing  him,  the 
more  his  heart  is  enlivened  in  blessing 
God.  Where  the  sun  of  mercy  shines 
hottest,  there  the  fruits  of  grace  grow 
fastest.  In  the  book  of  nature  we  may 
read  the  God  of  nature.  The  creature 
is  like  a  tuned  instrument,  and  the 
Christian's  hand  can  strike  it  to  the 
Eedeemer\s  praise.  Man  was  formed 
the  last  of  the  creation,  that  he  might 
contemplate  upon  God  through  every 
creature. 


100  A  STRING   OF   TEARLS, 

THE    DESIGN    OF    AFFLICTION. 

That  is  a  choice  artist  who  can  play 
well  upon  a  broken  instrument.  To  be 
impatient  with  our  affliction,  and  patient 
with  our  corruption,  is  to  be  angry  with 
the  medicine  which  heals  us,  and  in  love 
with  the  poison  that  kills  us.  Too  many 
think  that  God  is  cutting  down  the  tree, 
when  he  is  only  lopping  off  the  luxuriant 
branches.  They  imagine  that  he  is 
demolishing  -the  superstructure,  when 
he  is  only  laying  a  right  foundation. 


It  is  in  mercy  to  us  that  God  removes 
outward  blessings  from  us.  He  is  not 
nipping  the  flowers,  but  plucking  up  the 
weeds ;  he  is  not  laying  your  land  fallow, 
but  ploughing  the  field ;  he  is  not  put- 
ting out  the  light,  but  snufSng  the 
candle.  Providence  hath  a  beautiful 
face  under  a  black  mask.  God  has  the 
fairest  ends  in  the  foulest  ways.     The 


FROM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  101 

sheep  may  be  dipped  in  the  water  to 
wash  it,  when  there  is  no  design  in  the 
good  shepherd  to  drown  it.  God  doth 
but  take  that  out  of  your  hands,  which 
woukl  thrust  him  out  of  your  heart. 


He  that  mingles  his  passions  with  his 
afflictions  is  like  a  foolish  patient,  who 
chews  the  pills  he  should  swallow  whole. 
He  that  carnally  disturbs  his  soul  for 
the  loss  of  his  substance,  casts  away  the 
kernel  because  God  has  taken  the  shell. 
If  the  tree  yield  us  good  fruit,  it  will  be 
no  very  great  loss,  though  the  wind 
blow  away  the  leaves.  To  bless  God 
for  mercies  is  the  way  to  increase  them. 
To  bless  God  for  miseries  is  the  way  to 
remove  them.  No  good  lives  so  long 
as  that  which  is  thankfully  improved ; 
no  evil  dies  so  soon  as  that  which  is 
patiently  sustained. 


102 

When  Christians  have  their  candles 
put  out,  thej  may  fetch  their  light  from 
the  sun ;  and  when  they  have  their 
streams  cut  off,  they  may  drink  at  the 
spring-head.  The  birds  of  paradise 
make  the  swiftest  flights,  when  they 
have  the  smallest  feathers.  These 
nightingales  warble  the  most  sweetly 
when  they  set  their  breasts  against  the 
thorns.  The  creature  often  interrupts 
the  respect  whicb  we  owe  to  our  Creator ; 
and  then  no  wonder  if  he  break  the 
cistern  to  bring  us  unto  the  foTintain. 
Those  who  are  found  blessing  God  under 
all  their  losses,  will  find  God  blessing 
them  after  all  their  losses. 


FKOM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  103 

NO  ARGUING  A  MAN'S  SPI- 
RITUAL STATE  FROM  HIS 
TEMPORAL     EXPERIENCE. 

No  man  can  know  love  or  hatred  by 
any  thing  that  is  before  him.  You  can- 
not read  the  wrath  of  God  in  the  black 
lines  of  adversity,  or  the  love  of  God  in 
the  white  lines  of  prosperity. 


Riches  have  made  many  good  men 
worse,  but  they  never  made  any  bad 
man  better.  Thus  if  we  discern  but  a 
spark  of  grace  in  a  nobleman,  we  cry  it 
up  as  a  blazing  comet,  and  speak  of  it 
in  the  superlative  degree. 


Though  a  Christian  be  made  happy 
171  the  world,  he  is  not  made  happy  by 
the  world.  Give  me  those  judgments 
which  give  birth  to  mercy,  rather  than 
those  outward  mercies  which  give  birth 
to  judgments. 


104 

God's  jewels  may  liere  be  trodden 
under  foot,  but  hereafter  tlicy  will  be 
be  fixed  in  the  royal  diadem.  Those 
stones  which  are  designed  for  the  build- 
ing are  frequently  wounded  by  the 
chisel,  while  those  which  are  neglected 
lie  in  ruinous  heaps.  A  saint  is  glorious 
in  his  misery,  but  a  sinner  is  miserable 
amidst  all  his  glory.  We  must  not, 
therefore,  think  evil  of  religion,  though 
we  should  behold  a  Joseph  in  the  prison, 
while  a  Pharaoh  is  in  a  palace ;  or  a  Job 
on  the  ground,  while  a  Julian  is  on  a 
throne.  The  most  curious  pearls  are 
often  inclosed  in  the  most  rugged  shells. 


Luther's  expression  was  not  the  less 
true,  because  it  was  homely.  "  The 
whole  Turkish  empire  was  but  a  crust 
which  God  threw  to  the  dogs."  One 
said,  ""  I  would  rather  have  Paul's  coat, 
with  his  heavenly  graces,  than  the  purple 
robe  of  princes  with  all  their  kingdoms. 


FROM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  105 

Lest  riches  should  be  accounted  evil  in 
themselves,  God  sometimes  gives  them 
to  the  righteous,  and  lest  they  should 
be  considered  as  the  chief  good  he  fre- 
queutly  bestows  them  on  the  wicked. 
But  they  are  more  generally  the  portion 
of  his  enemies  than  his  friends. 


God  and  all  that  he  has  made,  is  not 
more  than  God  without  any  thing  that 
he  has  made.  He  can  never  want  trea- 
sure who  has  such  a  golden  mine.  He 
is  enough  without  the  creature ;  but  the 
creature  is  not  any  thing  without  him. 
It  is  therefore  better  to  enjoy  him  with- 
out any  thing  else,  than  to  enjoy  every 
thing  else  without  him.  It  is  better  to 
be  a  wooden  vessel  filled  with  wine, 
than  a  golden  one  filled  with  water. 


The  last  wine  that  Christ  draws,  is  the 
best  wine  that  Christians  drink.  When 
the   waters   cover    the   earth,    whither 


106  A   STRING   OF   PEARLS, 

should  dove-like  spirits  fly,  but  to  tLe 
ark  of  Christ  ?  He  who  left  heaven  to 
make  them  righteous,  will  come  ft'om 
heaven  to  make  them  glorious. 


Christian  you  must  never  look  for  an 
end  to  your  sorrows  till  you  see  an  end 
to  your  sins.  As  the  former  came  not 
a  day  before  the  latter,  so  they  stay  not 
a  day  behind  them.  ''As  many  as  I 
love  I  rebuke  and  chasten."  Well  may 
you  bear  the  rod,  when  infinite  love 
makes  it  up  and  lays  it  on.  When  you 
lie  under  his  afflicting  hand,  you  then 
lie  near  his  affected  heart.  Rake  a 
dung-hill,  and  its  effluvia  will  be  offen- 
sive, but  heat  perfume,  and  its  scent  will 
be  grateful. 


FROM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  107 

PRAYEE. 

Our  daily  bread  calls  for  our  daily 
prayers,  because  one  want  is  created, 
while  another  is  supplied.  Are  we 
called  hy  the  name  of  Christ,  and  shall 
we  not  call  upon  the  name  of  Christ  ? 
Take  away  spiritual  breath,  and  you 
take  away  spiritual  life.  There  never 
was  one  yieic-hom  who  was  s^^-'Z^-born. 


Who  would  not  stretch  out  a  beggar's 
hand  to  receive  a  jewel  of  infinite  value? 
With  what  boldness  should  those  appear 
at  court  who  are  sure  of  the  king's  ear. 


Believing  prayer  is  a  traffic  for  those 
commodities,  which  are  only  locked  up 
in  heaven's  store-house.  Why  should  we 
be  dumb,  seeing  God  is  not  deaf?  By 
fasting  the  body  learns  to  obey  the  soul ; 
by  praying  the  soul  learns  to  command 
the  body. 


108  A   STRING   OF   PEARLS, 

No  Cliristian  has  so  little  from  Christ, 
but  there  is  ground  for  praise ;  and  no 
Christian  has  so  much,  but  he  has-  need 
of  prayer.  Every  day  we  find  it  is  a 
great  work  to  accomplish  a  little  work. 
Every  new  act  of  obedience  requires 
fresh  assistance. 


The  gift  of  prayer  may  have  praise 
from  men,  but  it  is  the  grace  of  prayer 
which  has  power  with  God.  Christians 
can  never  want  a  praying  time  if  they 
possess  a  praying  frame.  In  the  morn- 
ing this  is  a  golden  key  to  open  the 
heart  for  God's  service,  and  in  the  eve- 
ning it  is  an  iron  lock  to  guard  the 
heart  a^jainst  sin. 


The  covenant  of  grace  without  us, 
turns  precepts  into  promises,  but  the 
spirit  of  grace  within  us,  turns  promises 
into  prayers. 


FROM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  109 

LOVE. 

There  is  no  sin  so  sweet,  but  the  love 
of  Christ  restrains  men  from  it.  There 
is  no  service  so  great,  but  the  love  of 
Christ  constrains  men  to  it.  If  once 
this  affection  takes  fire,  tbe  room  be- 
comes too  hot  for  any  sin  to  stay  in. 
The  Christian's  love  advances  by  equal 
paces  with  the  Christian's  faith,  as  the 
heat  of  the  day  with  the  shining  of  the 
sun ;  faith,  like  Mary  sits  at  the  feet  of 
Christ  to  hear  his  sermons  ;  and  love, 
like  Martha,  compasses  him  about  with 
services.  Faith  is  the  great  receiver, 
and  love  is  the  great  disburser. 


It  should  be  among  Christians,  as 
among  lute  strings,  when  one  is  touched 
the  others  tremble.  Believers  should 
neither  be  proud  flesh,  nor  dead  flesh. 
Fellow  members,  should  ever  have  fel- 
low-feelings.     Other   men's   woes   are 


110  A   STRING    OF   PEARLS, 

our  warnings ;  tlieir  desolation  should 
be  our  information. 


He  makes  a  good  market  of  bad  com- 
moditiv^s,  who,  with  kindnesses  over- 
comes injuries.  For  a  man  to  conquer 
another's  person,  and  be  captivated  by 
his  own  passions  is  but  to  lose  the  palace 
of  a  prince,  to  gain  the  cottage  of  a 
peasant.  A  spark  of  fire  falling  in  the 
ocean,  expires  immediately,  but  drop- 
ping upon  combustibles  burns  furiously. 
God  has  bound  every  believer  in  gospel 
cords  to  his  good  behaviour. 


Love  trades  not  for  home  returns ;  it 
amply  pays  itself  in  serving  its  beloved. 
It  is  reported  of  one,  who  being  asked 
for  whom  he  laboured  most,  he  answered, 
"  For  my  Friends."  And  being  asked, 
for  whom  he  laboured  least,  he  answered, 
"  For  my  Friends."  Love  doth  most, 
and  yet  thinks  least  of  what  it  does. 


FROM   A^   OLD   CASKET.  Ill 

"Were  it  possible  to  put  those  things 
asunder  which  God  himself  hath  joined 
together,  a  Christian  AYould  rather  be 
holy  without  any  happiness,  than  happy 
without  any  holiness.  Luther  had  this 
expression; — '^I  had  rather  be  in  hell 
with  Christ;  than  in  heaven  without 
Christ."  Indeed  hell  itself  would  be  a 
heaven  if  God  were  in  it,  and  heaven 
would  be  a  hell,  if  God  were  from  it. 
These  are  hard  sayings  to  an  uncircum- 
cised  ear,  but  the  real  choice  of  every 
renewed  heart.  A  gracious  man  makes 
this  request  for  his  soul.  "Lord let  me 
rather  have  a  gracious  heart  than  a  great 
estate,  let  me  rather  be  pious  without 
prosperity,  than  prosperous  without 
piety."  *  Though  he  may  love  many 
things  beside  religion,  yet  he  would  not 
love  any  thing  above  religion.  The 
earth  is  our  v/ork-house,  but  heaven  is 
our  storehouse.  This  is  a  place  to  run 
in,  and  that  is  a  place  to  rest  in. 


112  A    STRING    OF   PEARLS, 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

If  we  were  left  to  ourselves  but  for  a 
moment,  we  should  destroy  ourselves  in 
that  moment.  We  are  like  glasses  with- 
out a  bottom,  which  are  no  sooner  loosed 
than  they  fall.  ''  Without  me  ye  can 
do  nothing."  The  pen  may  as  soon 
write  without  the  hand  which  holds  it, 
as  our  hearts  work  except  the  Spirit 
move  them.  Not  only  the  enjoyment 
of  our  talents  is  from  God,  but  the  im- 
provement of  them  is  from  him.  "  Lord 
thy  pound  hath  gained  ten  pounds."  It 
is  not  my  pains  but  thy  pound,  which 
hath  done  it.  The  children  of  God  are 
like  a  clock  which  soon  stands  still  if  it 
be  not  wound  up. 


Waters  may  rise  as  high  as  they  fall. 
Whatsoever  action  hath  God  for  its 
aathor,  hath  God  for  its  centre.  A  cir- 
cular line  makes  its  ending  where  it  had 


its  beginning. 


FROM   AN"   OLD   CASKET.  113 

"Whatsoever  ointment  is  poured  out 
upon  Christ's  head,  will  run  down  to 
the  skirt  of  his  garment.  What  a  saint 
gives  to  Christ  in  copper,  shall  be  re- 
turned to  him  in  silver.  The  only  way 
to  keep  our  crowns  on  our  heads  is  to 
cast  them  down  at  his  feet. 


He  that  freely  opens  the  upper,  will 
never  wholly  close  the  nether  spririgs. 
There  will  be  no  silver  lacking  in  Ben- 
jamin's sack,  while  Joseph  has  it  to 
throw  in.  Grace  is  not  such  a  beggarly 
visitant  as  will  not  pay  its  own  way. 
When  the  best  of  Beings  is  adored,  the 
best  of  blessings  are  enjoyed.  ''For 
the  Lord  is  a  sun  and  shield,  and  no 
good  thing  will  he  withhold  from  them 
that  walk  uprightly."  Why  needs  a 
saint  fear  darkness  when  he  has  such  a 
sun  to  guide  him?  or  dread  danger, 
when  he  has  such  a  shield  to  guard  him? 
Though  every  rich  man  be  not   truly 


114  A   STRIXG   OF   PEARLS, 

godly,   yet  every  godly  man  is  truly 
ricli. 


The  sun  can  as  easily  difiuse  its  beams 
over  tlie  whole  world,  as  upon  a  single 
field.  What  God  receives  from  men, 
makes  him  no  richer,  and  what  man  re- 
ceives from  God  makes  him  none  the 
poorer.  His  goodness  may  be  imparted, 
but  cannot  be  impaired. 


Godliness  is  profitable  to  all  things, 
having  the  promise  of  the  life  that  now 
is,  and  of  that  which  is  to  come.  Who 
knows,  how  many  rich  productions  there 
are  in  the  pleasure  garden  of  religion. 
There  is  mellow  fruit  in  it  for  every 
day  in  the  year. 


In  earthly  services  the  master  enjoys 
the  profit,  but  in  religious  services  the 
servant  enjoys  it.  ''And  the  ark  of  the 
Lord  continued  in  the  house  of  Obed 


FROM  AN  OLD   CASKET.  115 

Edom  the  Gittite,  tliree  nionths,  and  the 
Lord  blessed  Obed  Edom,  and  all  his 
household."  The  ark  was  not  blessed 
for  the  sake  of  his  household,  but  his 
household  was  blessed  for  the  sake  of 
the  ark.  The  ark  of  God  always  pays 
for  its  entertainment  wheresoever  it 
dwells. 


The  nearer  the  relation,  the  stronger 
are  the  ties  of  obligation.  In  this  view, 
believers  on  earth  are  superior  to  angels 
in  heaven,  God  has  made  you  studs  for 
his  crown  while  others  are  stools  for  his 
feet.  A  drop  of  praise  is  an  unsuitable 
acknowledgment  for  an  ocean  of  mercy. 


There  are  no  still-born  children  in 
the  family  of  grace.  God  is  the  living 
Father,  and  therefore  all  his  children 
live  by  him ;  he  is  also  the  everlasting 
Father,  and  therefore  he  will  have  due 
honor  paid  him. 


116  A  STRING  OF  PEARLS, 

Alexander,  who  is  reported  to  be  an 
exceeding  swift  runner,  was  once  solicited 
to  run  in  the  Olympic  games.  He  an- 
swered, "  I  will,  if  Kings  are  mine  an- 
tagonists." Give  me  such  a  saint,  who 
will  pursue  nothing  on  earth,  which  may 
be  unsuitable  to  his  birth  from  heaven. 


There  are  many  who  profess  to  know 
God,  but  in  works  deny  him;  "being 
abominable,  disobedient,  and  to  every 
good  work  reprobate."  Man  is  not 
what  he  says,  but  what  he  does.  For  a 
man  to  say  what  he  does,  and  not  to  do 
what  he  says,  is  to  resemble  those  trees, 
■which  are  full  of  leaves  but  void  of 
fruit,  or  those  barns,  wherein  there  is 
much  chaff,  but  no  grain.  "What  is  the 
chaff  to  the  wheat?  saith  the  Lord." 


"And  why  call  ye  me.  Lord,  Lord, 
and  do  not  the  things  that  I  say?"  As 
if  he  had  said,  "Either  keep  my  words 


FROM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  117 

more,  or  else  call  me  Lord  no  more ; 
either  take  me  into  your  lives  or  cast 
me  out  of  your  lips."  As  princes  dis- 
dain to  have  their  images  on  base  coun- 
terfeits, so  the  Lord  Jesus  cannot  delight 
to  see  his  name  on  rotten  hypocrites. 
Therefore  he  saith,  '^Let  every  one  that 
nameth  the  name  of  Christ  depart  from 
all  iniquity."  If  godliness  be  evil,  why 
is  it  so  much  i^ofessecU  if  it  be  good, 
why  is  it  so  little  practised  ? 


As  the  sun  is  the  glory  of  creation, 
so  is  Christ  the  glory  of  redemption. 
The  summit  of  moral  religion  consists 
in  imitating  Grod. '  Without  this  your  re- 
ligion will  be  found  a  "  Tekel-J''  when  it 
is  weighed  in  the  balance,  it  will  be 
wanting.  It  would  be  well,  if  there 
were,  as  great  a  similarity  between  the 
life  of  Christ  and  the  lives  of  Christians, 
as  there  is  between  a  just  copy  and  the 
original.     Wliat  he  was  by  nature,  that 


118  A   STRIXG    OF   PEARLS, 

we  should  be  by  grace.  As  face  an- 
sweretb  to  face  in  water,  so  sliould  life 
answer  to  life  in  Scripture.  He  that 
was  a  way  to  others,  never  went  out  of 
the  way  himself. 


Men  are  merciless  in  their  censure  of 
Christians  ;  they  have  no  sympathy  for 
their  infirmity ;  while  God  weighs  them 
in  more  equal  scales,  and  says,  "  The 
spirit  is  willing,  but  the  flesh  is  weak." 
"While  the  saint  is  a  dove  in  the  eyes  of 
God,  he  is  only  a  raven  in  the  estima- 
tion of  sinners. 


Consider  Christian  that  an  unholy 
conversation,  strips  off  the  rich  orna- 
mental jewels,  from  the  neck  of  the 
bride,  the  Lamb's  wife.  Sin  indulged, 
in  a  believer,  is  like  a  rent  in  a  rich  em- 
broidered garment,  or  like  a  crack  in  a 
silver  bell.  A  foul  spot  is  soonest  dis- 
cerned in  the  fairest  cloth.     The  world 


FROM   AN-   OLD   CASKET.  119 

will  sooner  make  an  excuse  for  its  own 
enormities,  tlian  for  your  infirmities. 
The  malice  of  sinners  is  such,  that  they 
will  reproach  the  rectitude  of  the  law, 
for  the  obliquity  of  their  lives,  who 
swerve  from  it.  Ah,  that  your  pure 
life,  did  but  hang  a  padlock  upon  their 
impure  lips. 


Eeader,  you  must  not  look  to  toil  for 
the  prince  of  darkness  all  the  long  day 
of  your  life,  and  then  sup  with  the 
prince  of  light  at  the  evening  of  death. 
There  is  no  going  from  Delilah's  ^ap  to 
Abraham's  bosom.  There  is  no  gaining 
admittance  into  the  King  of  heaven's 
privy  chamber  of  felicity,  without  pass- 
ing through  the  straight  gate  of  purity. 
"  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart,  for  they 
shall  see  God."  A  dusty  glass  will  not 
distinctly  represent  the  face. 


Holiness  and  happiness  are  so  wisely 


120  A   STRING    OF   PEARLS, 

joined  together,  tliat  God  will  never 
suffer  them  to  be  put  asunder.  "  Follow 
peace  with  all  men,  and  holiness,  with- 
out which  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord." 
Though  holiness  be  that  which  a  sinner 
scorns,  yet  it  is  that  which  a  Saviour 
crowns. 


If  you  be  not  fruit-bearing  plants,  you 
must  be  burning  brands.  There  is  no 
making  out  your  salvation,  where  there 
is  no  working  out  your  salvation.  Men 
are  condemned  not  only  for  their  pro- 
faneness,  but  also  for  their  slothfulness. 
Men  may  perish  for  being  unprofitable 
servants  as  well  as  for  being  abominable 
sinners. 


Tlie  Lord  hangs  the  bait  of  duty  upon 
the  hook  of  mercy.  He  sits  the  promises 
of  the  gospel  in  the  galleries  of  his  or- 
dinances. The  hardy  soldier  will  under- 
go a  bloody  seed  time,  to  enjoy  a  happy 


FROM   AN-   OLD   CASKET.  121 

harvest.  He  lias  notliing  more  than 
earthly  mammon  in  his  pursuit;  but 
the  saint  has  nothing  less  than  heavenly 
mansions  in  his  pursuit. 


Divine  knowledge  is  not  as  the  light 
of  the  moon  to  sleep  by ;  bat  as  the 
light  of  the  sun  to  work  by.  It  is  not 
a  loiterer  in  the  market-place,  but  a 
labourer  in  the  vineyard. 


A  man  may  be  a  great  scholar,  and 
yet  a  great  sinner.  Judas  the  traitor, 
was  Judas  the  preacher.  The  toad  that 
has  a  pearl  in  its  head,  has  poison  in 
its  bowels.  The  tree  of  knowledge  has 
often  been  planted  and  flourished,  where 
the  tree  of  life  never  grew.  A  man  may 
be  acquainted  with  the  grace  of  truth, 
and  yet  not  know  the  truth  of  grace. 
Parts,  and  even  all  gifts,  without  grace 
and  holiness  are  but  like  Uriah's  letters. 


122  A   STRING   OF   PEARLS, 

whicli  were  the  death-warrants  of  him, 
who  carried  them. 


Naked  knowledge  will  be  as  unser- 
viceable to  the  soTil  in  a  dying  day,  as 
a  painted  fire  would  be  to  the  frozen 
body  in  a  cold  day.  As  some  articles 
are  tanned  by  the  same  sun,  in  which 
others  are  whitened,  so  are  some  profes- 
sors, hardened  under  the  same  gospel 
by  which  others  are  softened. 


As  it  is  lost  labour  to  smite  the  flint 
if  it  propagate  no  sparks,  so  it  is  fruit- 
less toil  to  furnish  our  heads  with  light 
if  it  refine  not  our  hearts.  The  sins  of 
ignorance  are  most  numerous,  but  the 
sins  of  knowledge  are  most  dangerous. 


There  are  many  who  set  a  crown  of 
glory  upon  the  head  of  Christ,  by  a  good 
profession,  and  yet  plat  a  crown  of  thorns 
upon  his  head  by  an  evil  conversation. 


FROM   AN"   OLD   CASKET.  123 

By  tlie  words  of  our  mouth,  we  may 
affect  to  adore  religion,  but  it  is  by  the 
works  of  our  lives  that  we  adorn  reli- 
gion. 


There  are  some  who  would  sacrifice  a 
stout  heart  to  a  stubborn  will,  and  would 
rather  die  martyrs  for  sin  than  servants 
to  truth.  How  shall  those  stand  for 
Christ,  who  never  stood  in  Christ.  True 
believers  are  more  studious  how  to  adorn 
the  cross,  than  how  to  avoid  the  cross. 
They  deem  it  better  to  be  saved  in 
troubled  water,  than  to  be  drowned  in  a 
calm  ocean. 


God  can  strike  straight  strokes  with 
crooked  sticks  and  make  Satan's  dross, 
burnish  his  choice  vessels.  ''If  Dives 
be  tormented  because  he  refuse  to  im- 
part his  own,  what  shall  their  torment 
be,  who  avidiously  take  that  which  is 
another.     If  those  fingers  be  cut  off 


124  A   STRING   OF   PEARLS, 

wMcli  SO  closely  clasp  tlieir  own  pro- 
perty, what  will  become  of  those  haads, 
which  are  always  open  to  grasp  at  other 


Christ  is  not  only  the  vessel  in  which 
the  waters  of  life  are  contained,  but  he 
is  also  the  pipes  through  which  they  are 
conveyed. 


A  self  seeker,  lives  nnrespected  and 
dies  unlamented.  When  once  a  man 
becomes  a  god  to  himself^  he  then  be- 
comes a  cliv '/  to  others.  Such  an  one 
cares  not  who  sinks,  so  he  does  but  ar- 
rive safe  at  the  shore. 


Every  Christian  is  a  light  in  the  world, 
though  he  be  not  the  light  of  the  world. 
"  Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men, 
that  they  seeing  your  good  works,  may 
glorify  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven." 
Ah,  that  Christians  were  more  like  the 


FEOM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  125 

liglit,  wliicli  abides  pure,  tliougli  the  air 
be  corrupted,  in  wliicli  it  dwells  !  Men 
may  defile  themselves  in  the  light,  but 
they  cannot  defile  the  light  itself.  The 
sun  shines  throughout  an  impure  world 
yet  knows  no  impurity.  Ah !  how 
many  resemble  swine  in  the  fairest 
meadow,  which  would  break  every 
mound  to  find  the  mire !  They  remind 
me  of  impious  Judas,  who  instead  of 
being  a  disciple  among  devils,  was  a 
devil  among  disciples.  Poor  man,  he 
was  all  precept  and  no  example.  He 
could  attempt  to  reprove  one  who  was 
innocence  itself,  and  encourage  one,  who 
was  sin  itself. 


Every  one  loves  to  be  admired,  and 
is  too  apt  to  take  pleasure  in  none  but 
those  who  take  pleasure  in  him.  It  is 
no  honourable  appearance,  when  we 
cease  to  be  exemplary  Christians  that 
others  may  think  us  good  companions. 


126  A   STKING   OF    PEAELS, 

It  is  impossible  to  be  conformed  to  tbe 
world  in  our  outward  man,  and  trans- 
formed to  God  in  our  inward  man. 
There  is  no  sucb  thing  as  being  an  out- 
ward heathen  and  an  inward  Christian. 


It  is  ill  breathing  an  infectious  air. 
Satan's  progeny  love  not  to  go  to  hell 
without  society.  It  is  better  to  be  with 
a  Philpot  in  a  coal-house,  than  with  a 
Bonner  in  a  palace.  A  man  may  pass 
through  Ethiopia,  and  yet  be  unchanged, 
but  he  cannot  take  up  his  residence 
there  without  being  discoloured. 


"  The  wages  of  sin  is  death."  As  the 
works  of  sin  are  dishonourable,  so  the 
wages  of  sin  are  mortal.  The  corrup- 
tion of  nature  is  the  cause  of  the  disso- 
lution of  nature.  The  candle  of  our 
lives,  is  blown  out  by  the  wind  of  our 
lusts.  Sin  is  that  noxious  weed,  which 
overtops  the  choicest  corn^  that  offensive 


FROM  AN   OLD   CASKET.  127 

smoke  whicti  depresses  tlie  rising  flame ; 
and  tliat  dismal  cloud,  wliicli  over- 
shadows the  beaming  sun.  Sin  Las 
brought  many  a  believer  into  suffering, 
and  suffering  has  instrumentally,  kept 
many  a  believer  out  of  sin.  It  is  better 
to  be  preserved  in  brine,  than  to  rot  in 
honey.  The  bitterest  medicine  is  to  be 
preferred,  by  all  men,  before  the  sweetest 
poison.  In  the  same  fire,  wherein  the  dross 
is  consumed,  the  precious  gold  is  refined. 


Those  who  launch  out  into  any  un- 
dertaking should,  always,  previously, 
look  well  to  their  tackling  lest  a  de- 
structive storm  should  overtake  them 
in  their  voyage.  A  bad  conscience  im- 
bitters  the  sweetest  comforts,  but  a  good 
conscience  sweetens  the  bitterest  crosses. 
How  great  a  wound  do  vices  make  in 
the  conscience,  yea,  even  in  our  infant 
years.  Though  the  hardened  sinner  be 
not  afraid  to  do  evil,  yet  he  will  be  afraid 


128  A   STEIXG    OF   PEARLS, 

to  suffer  evil.  What  need  tliose  fear  a 
cross  on  the  back,  who  feel  a  Christ  in 
their  heart  ? 


Tliat  crop,  v/hich  is  sown  in  mercy 
shall  be  reaped  in  glory.  In  heaven 
there  are  riches  enough,  but  no  poor  to 
receive  them.  In  hell  there  are  poor 
enough,  but  no  rich  to  relieve  them. 
How  many  of  the  most  wealthy  are  deaf 
to  the  most  importunate  requests  for 
mercy  !  They  will  do  no  good  in  the 
world,  with  the  goods  of  the  world. 
They,  too  much,  resemble  sponges  which, 
greedily,  suck  up  the  waters,  but  will 
not  yield  a  return  of  them  again,  till 
they  are  well  squeezed. 


Mercy  is  so  good  a  servant,  that  it 
will  never  suffer  its  master  to  die  a 
beggar.  Those  who  have  drained  their 
own  wells  dry,  in  order  to  fill  a  poor 
man's  cistern,  shall  never  perish  for  want 


FROM   AN    OLD   CASKET.  129 

of  water  to  quench  tteir  thirst.  Those 
who  have  blessed  others  shall  be  blessed 
themselves.  God  looks  not  so  much  on 
the  merits  of  the  beggar  as  upon  the 
mercy  of  the  giver. 


In  the  highest  heavens,  the  beams  of 
majesty  are  displayed,  but  to  the  lowest 
hearts,  the  bowels  of  mercy  are  dis- 
covered. ''  Be  ye  clothed  with  humility." 
Pride  is  a  sinner's  torment,  but  humility 
is  a  saint's  ornament.  The  cloth  of  hu- 
mility should  always  be  worn  on  the 
back  of  Christianity. 


Though  there  may  be  something  left 
by  self-denial,  yet  there  can  be  nothing 
lost  by  self-denial;  nay,  a  man  can  never 
enjoy  himself  till  he  be  brought  to  deny 
himself.  We  live,  by  dying  to  our- 
selves, and  die,  by  living  to  ourselves. 
There  is  no  proud  man  but  what  is 
foolish,  and   scarcely  any  foolish  man 

9 


130  A  STRIXG  OF   PEAELS; 

but  what  is  proud.  It  is  the  night  owl 
of  ignorance  which  broods  and  hatches 
the  peacock  of  pride. 


It  is  impossible  to  have  true  thoughts 
of  ourselves,  while  we  entertain  high 
thoughts  of  ourselves.  "Though  all 
men  forsake  thee,  yet  will  not  I."  Poor 
Peter,  he  was  the  most  impotent  when 
he  was  most  arrogant.  He  has  no  doubt 
of  standing  when  others  were  falling ; 
but  it  proved,  at  last,  that  he  fell  while 
others  stood.  That  was  an  excellent 
saying  of  one  : — "  Where  a  gracious 
person  would  sit  below  me,  I  will  ac- 
knowledge his  dignity;  but  where  a 
proud  person  would  move  above  me,  I 
will  abhor  his  vanity."  An  humble 
heart  may  meet  with  opposition  from 
man,  but  it  shall  meet  with  approbation 
from  God.  As  humility  is  a  grace  very 
excellent  in  itself,  so  it  is  very  pleasing 
to   God.     He  who  is  a   subject  of  the 


FROM   AN   old"  casket.  131 

former,  shall  hereafter  be  an  inheritor 
with  the  latter. 


Remember  that  when  Christ  draws 
the  likeness  of  the  new  creature,  his  first 
pencil  is  clipped  in  water.  ''  Except  ye 
repent,  ye  shall  all,  likewise  perish." 
Is  it  not  better  to  repent  without  perish- 
ing, than  to  perish  without  repenting. 
Godly  sorrow  is  such  a  grace,  as  with- 
out it,  not  a  soul  shall  be  saved,  and 
with  it,  not  a  soul  shall  be  lost.  Is  it 
not,  therefore,  better  to  swim  in  the 
water- works  of  repentance,  than  to  burn 
in  the  fire- works  of  vengeance. 


A  tender  heart  is  like  melting  wax ; 
ah,  what  choice  impressions  are  made 
upon  such  dispositions. 


Sin  in  the  soul,  is  like  Jonah  in  the 
ship ;  it  turns  the  smoothest  water  into 
a  troubled  ocean. 


132  A  STRING   OF   PEARLS, 

We  must  mourn  for  sin  on  earth,  or 
burn  for  sin  in  liell.  It  is  the  coldness 
of  our  hearts,  which  kindles  the  fire  of 
God's  anger.  ''  Thej  shall  look  upon 
him  whom  they  have  pierced  and  mourn 
for  him,  as  one  that  mourn eth  for  his 
only  son ;  and  shall  be  in  bitterness  for 
him,  as  one  that  is  in  bitterness  for  his 
first  born."  Christians,  the  nails  that 
pierced  his  hands,  should  now  pierce 
your  heart ;  you  should  now  be  deeply 
wounded  with  godly  sorrow,  for  having 
so  deeply  wounded  him,  with  your 
deadly  sins.  It  should  grieve  your 
spirits  to  remember  how  much  jovl  have 
grieved  his  spirit. 


Man  must  be  convinced  of  sin,  before 
he  can  truly  repent  of  sin ;  unbelief  in 
the  heart,  is  like  the  worm  in  Jonah's 
gourd  an  unseen  adversary  ;  it  is  least 
visible  but  most  hurtful.  Infidelity  is 
the  worst  of  robbers ;  it  both  plunders 


FROM   AX   OLD   CASKET.  133 

and  wounds  tlie  soul.  Christ  may  dwell 
in  the  heart  where  it  lurks,  but  not 
where  it  reigns.  If  Christ  destroy  its 
armour,  it  becomes  weak  as  other  men. 
Its  chief  strength  wherein  it  trusteth  is 
ignorance. 


Pharaoh  more  lamented  the  hard 
strokes  that  were  upon  him,  than  the 
hard  heart  which  was  within  him. 
Esau  mourned,  not  because  he  sold  the 
birth-right,  which  was  his  sin,  but  be- 
cause he  lost  the  blessing  which  was  his 
punishment.  This  is  like  weeping  with 
an  onion — the  eye  sheds  tears  because 
it  smarts.  A  mariner  casts  overboard, 
that  cargo  in  a  tempest,  which  he  courts 
the  return  of  when  the  winds  are 
silenced.  Many  complain  more  of  the 
sorrows  to  which  they  are  born,  than 
of  the  sins  with  which  they  are  born  ; 
they  tremble  more  at  the  vengeance  of 


134  A   STRING    OF   PEAELS, 

sin,  than  the  venom  of  sin ;  one  delights 
them,  the  other  affrights  them. 


Where  misery  passes,  undiscerned, 
there  mercy  passes,  nndesired.  Christ 
may  knock  long  at  such  doors  before  he 
gains  admittance.  He  only  enters  into 
those,  who  enter  into  themselves.  ''Be- 
hold I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock." 
Christ  oftener  comes  to  the  door  than 
he  enters  the  house.  As  we  knock  at 
his  door  for  audience  so  he  does,  at  ours, 
for  entrance.  If  his  person  be  shut  out, 
our  prayers  will  be  shut  out.  Why 
should  God  show  him  mercy,  who  never 
acknowledged  himself  guilty  ?  A  saint's 
tears  are  better  than  a  sinner's  triumphs. 
Bernard  saith,  "The  tears  of  penitents 
are  the  wine  of  angels."  When  a  sin- 
ner repents  the  angels  rejoice;  and  give 
me  such  a  mourning  on  earth,  as  creates 
music  in  heaven.  Many  are  battered 
as  lead  by  the  hammer  who  are  never 


FROM   AX   OLD   CASKET.  135 

bettered  as  gold  by  tbe  fire.  Sometimes 
that  repentance  which  begins  in  the  fears 
of  hell,  ends  in  the  flames  of  hell. 


It  has  been  observed  by  those  who 
are  experienced  in  the  sport  of  angling, 
that  the  smallest  fishes  bite  the  fastest. 
Ah,  how  few  great  men,  do  we  find  so 
much  as  nibbling  at  the  gospel  hook. 
The  tree  of  life  is  not  often  planted  in  a 
terrestrial  paradise. 


The  shining  diamond  of  a  great  estate 
may  frequently  be  found,  upon  an  un- 
sound and  idolatrous  heart.  Prosperity 
is  not  to  be  deemed  the  greatest  security. 
The  lofty,  unbending  cedar  is  more  ex- 
posed to  the  injurious  blast,  than  the 
lowly  shrub.  The  little  pinnace  rides 
safely  along  the  shore,  while  the  gallant 
ship  advancing,  is  wrecked.  Those 
sheep  which  have  the  most  wool,  are, 
generally,  the  soonest  fleeced.     Poverty 


136  A  STRING   OF   PEARLS, 

is  its  own  defence  against  robbery.  A 
fawning  world  is  worse  than  a  frowning 
world.  Wlio  would  shake  those  trees, 
Tipon  which  there  is  no  fruit  ? 


Ah,  what  vanity  it  is  to  lop  off  the 
boughs,  and  leave  the  roots,  which  can 
soon  send  forth  more ;  or  to  empty  the 
cistern,  and  leave  the  fountain  running, 
which  can  soon  fill  it  again!  Such  may 
swim  in  the  water  of  the  visible  Church, 
but  w^hen  the  net  is  drawn  to  shore 
they  must  be  thrown  away  as  bad  fishes. 
Though  the  tares  and  the  wheat  may 
grow  in  the  field  logether,  yet  they  will 
not  be  housed  in  the  granery  together. 


A  man's  conversation  may  be  civilized, 
when  his  heart  is  not  evangelized.  There 
is  as  much  difference  between  nature 
restrained,  and  nature  renewed,  as  be- 
tween the  glimmering  of  a  glow-worm, 
and  the  splendour  of  the  noon-day  sun. 


FROM  AN   OLD   CASKET.  137 

A  bad  man  is  certainly  worst,  when  he 
is,  seemingly,  best.  We  must  not  ac- 
count every  one  a  soldier  who  swaggers 
with  a  sword.  A  rusty  scimitar  may 
frequently  be  found  in  a  highly  trimmed 
scabbard.  What  is  it  to  have  our  hands 
as  white  as  snow,  if  our  hearts  be  as 
black  as  the  bottomless  pit?  Such 
professors  resemble  curious  bubbles, 
smooth  and  clear  without,  yet  only  filled 
with  air. 


It  is  only  such  fabrics  as  are  bottomed 
upon  the  sand,  that  are  overthrown  by 
the  wind.  The  adversaries  of  God's 
people  will  push  at  them,  as  far  as  their 
horns  will  go,  but  when  they  have 
scoured  them  by  persecution,  as  tar- 
nished vessels,  then  God  will  throw  such 
whisps  into  the  fire. 


He  that  takes  up  fire  to  throw  at  his 
adversaries,  is  in  great  danger  of  burn- 


138  A  STEING  OF   PEARLS, 

ing  his  own  fingers.  A  gun  ill  charged, 
instead  of  hitting  the  mark,  does  but  re- 
coil on  him  that  discharges  it.  He  who 
glories  in  wounding  others,  will,  finally, 
wound  himself.  If  injuries  be  oar 
enemies'  weapons,  forgiveness  should  be 
ours.  There  is  a  twofold  frenzy ;  that 
of  the  head,  which  deprives  men  of  their 
prudence ;  and  that  of  the  heart,  which 
deprives  them  of  their  patience.  To 
forget  an  injury  is  more  than  nature  can 
promise,  but  to  forgive  it,  is  what  grace 
can  perform.  Patience  affords  us  a 
shield  to  defend  ourselves;  but  inno- 
cence denies  us  a  sword  to  offend  others. 
If  ever  you  hope  that  your  charity 
should  live  after  you  then  let  resentment 
die  before  you. 


It  was  a  saying  of  a  heathen,  though 
no  heathenish  saying,  that  he  who  would 
be  good,  must  either  have  a  faithful 
friend   to   instruct  him,  or  a  watchful 


FEOM  AN   OLD  CASKET.  139 

enemy  to  correct  him.  Should  we 
murder  a  physician  because  he  comes  to 
cure  us,  or  like  him  worse,  because  he 
would  make  us  better  ?  Am  I  become 
your  enemy  because  I  tell  you  the  truth? 
Truth  is  not  always  relished,  where  sin 
is  nourished.  Light  is  pleasant,  yet  it 
may  be  offensive  to  sore  eyes.  Honey 
is  sweet  though  it  cause  the  wound  to 
smart ;  but  we  must  not  neglect  the  ac- 
tions of  friends  for  fear  of  drawing  upon 
ourselves,  the  suspicion  of  being  enemies. 
It  is  better  to  lose  the  smiles  of  men, 
than  the  souls  of  men.  "Thou  shalt 
not  hate  thy  brother,  in  thy  heart,  nor 
suffer  sin  to  lie  upon  him."  He  who 
loves  a  garment,  hates  the  moths  which 
fret  it. 


Eeproof  slides  from  a  scorner's  breast, 
as  water  from  an  oiled  post.  Instead 
of  loving  a  man  amidst  all  his  injuries, 
he  will  hate  him  for  all  his  civilities. 


140  A   STRIXG   OF   PEA  ELS, 

Most  people  are  like  restive  horses, 
wliich  no  sooner  feel  tlie  rowel,  than 
they  strike  with  their  heels,  or  like  bees 
which  no  sooner  are  angered,  than  they 
put  out  their  stings. 


The  tender  reed  is  more  easily  bowed 
than  the  sturdy  oak.  Christ's  warfare 
requires  no  carnal  weapons.  Chariots 
too  furiously  driven  may  be  overturned 
by  their  own  violence.  How  many  are 
there,  who  check  passion  with  passion, 
and  are  very  angry  in  reproving  anger. 
Thus  to  lay  one  devil,  they  raise  another, 
and  leave  more  work  to  be  undone,  than 
they  found  to  be  done.  Such  a  reproof 
of  vice,  is  a  vice  to  be  reproved. 


Reprehension  should  tread  upon  the 
heels  of  transgression.  The  plaster 
should  be  applied  as  soon  as  the  wound 
is  received.  It  is  easier  to  extinguish 
a  flaming  torch,  than  a  burning  house. 


FliOM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  141 

Gentle  medicine  will  serve  for  a  recent 
distemper,  but  chronical  diseases  require 
powerful  receipts. 


The  name  of  God  with  a  sling  and 
stone,  will  do  more  than  Goliath  with 
all  his  armour.  Reader,  I  would  neither 
have  you  be  idle  in  the  means,  nor  make 
an  idol  of  the  means.  Though  it  be  the 
mariner's  duty  to  weigh  his  anchor  and 
spread  his  sails,  yet  he  cannot  make  his 
voyage  until  the  winds  blow.  The 
pipes  will  yield  no  conveyance,  unless 
the  springs  yield  their  concurrence. 


He  that  has  no  better  righteousness 
than  what  is  of  his  own  providing  shall 
meet  with  no  higher  happiness,  than 
what  is  of  his  own  deserving.  If  such 
people  rest  not  from  duty,  then  they 
rest  in  duty.  They  are  determined  to 
sail  in  their  own  bottom,  though  they 
sink   in  the  ocean.     I  would   that   all 


142  A  STRING   OF   PEARLS, 

sucli  did  but  know,  that  tlioiigli  good 
Avorks  are  not  destroyed  by  Christ,  yet 
they  must  be  denied  for  Christ. 


Thousands  of  professors  prize  the 
wages  of  religion  above  its  works,  but 
a  Christian  will  prize  its  work  above 
its  wages.  Give  me  that  singular 
preacher  who  prefers  his  labour  to  his 
lucre,  and  the  flock  he  attends,  to  the 
fleece  he  obtains. 


''Ye  seek  me,  not  because  ye  saw  the 
miracles,  but  because  ye  did  eat  of  the 
loaves  and  were  filled."  Christ  was  the 
object  of  their  actions,  but  self  was  the 
end  of  their  actions.  They  came  to 
Christ  to  serve  their  own  turns,  and 
when  their  turns  were  served,  then  they 
turned  away  their  service.  They  were 
cupboard  disciples  ;  more  than  men  at 
their  meat, — but   less   than  women  at 


FROM   AI^   OLD    CASKET.  143 

tlieir   work.     AYhen    the   loaves   were 
gone,  tlie  disciples  were  gone. 


Could  many  men  find  the  mercies  of 
God,  they  would  never  seek  the  God  of 
mercies.  Could  they  tell  how  to  be  well 
without  him,  they  would  never  desire 
to  come  to  him.  God  hath  but  little  of 
their  society  except  when  they  can  find 
no  other  company.  The  want  of  pardon 
is  the  only  spring  of  a  servile  man's 
duty  ;  he  plies  his  prayers,  as  sailors  do 
their  pumps,  only  in  a  storm  or  when 
fearful  of  sinking. 


Conversion  begins  in  consideration. 
The  hasty  shower  falls  fastest,  but  the 
soft  snow  sinks  the  deepest.  As  that 
mariner  who  is  inattentive  to  his  helm 
is  in  danger  of  wrecking  his  vessel,  so 
he  who  knows  not  himself,  is  likely  to 
lose  himself.  "  Examine  yourselves 
whether  ye  be  in  the  fiiith."     If  your 


144  A   STEING   OF   PEAKLS, 

heart  be  not  the  cabinet  of  such  a  jewel, 
your  head  will  never  be  graced  with  a 
diadem  in  glory. 


Though  Christians  be  not  kept  al- 
together from,  falling,  yet  they  are  kept 
from  falling  altogether.  They  may  show 
an  indifference  toward  Christ  for  a  time, 
but  they  shall  not  depart  from  Christ 
forever.  The  trees  of  righteousness 
may  have  their  autumn,  but  they  shall, 
also,  have  their  spring.  There  is  never 
so  low  an  ebb,  but  there  is  also,  as  high 
a  tide.  Christians  are  like  crocodiles, 
which  grow  till  they  die,  or  like  the 
moon  which  increases  in  her  beauty  till 
she  is  at  the  full. 


"We  can  defile  ourselves,  but  we  can- 
not cleanse  ourselves.  The  sheep  can 
go  astray  alone,  but  can  never  return  to 
,the  fold,  without'  the  assistance  of  the 
shepherd.     Till  we  taste  the   bitterness 


FKOM   AN"   OLD   CASKET.  145 

of  our  own  misery,  we  shall  never 
relish  tlie  sweetness  of  God's  mercy. 
Till  we  see  how  foul  our  sins  have  made 
us,  we  shall  never  pay  our  tribute  of 
praise  to  Christ  for  washing  us. 


As  the  worst  on  this  side  of  eternity 
compared  with  hell  is  misery,  so  the 
best  on  this  side  of  eternity,  compared 
with  heaven  is  misery.  There  is  no 
more  comparison  to  be  made  between 
heaven  and  earth,  than  there  is  between 
a  piece  of  rusty  iron  and  refined  gold. 


Good  words  without  the  heart,  are 
but  flattery,  and  good  works  without  the 
heart,  are  but  hypocrisy.  Though  God 
pities  stumbling  Israelites,  yet  he  pun- 
ishes halting  hypocrites. 


Eeligion  is  a  sacrifice,  but  the  heart 
is  the  altar  on  which  it  must  be  offered. 
As  the  body  is  at  the  command  of  the 

10 


1-16  A   STRIXG   OF   FEARLS, 

head  who  rules  it,  so  should  the  soul  be 
at  the  command  of  God,  who  gives  it. 
For  a  man  to  take  his  body  to  the  ser- 
vice of  God  and  leave  his  soul  behind 
him,  is  as  if  a  person  should  send  his 
garments  stuffed  with  straw  instead  of 
making  a  personal  appearance. 


Every  being  produces  its  own  like- 
ness. "  Do  men  gather  grapes  of  thorns 
or  figs  of  thistles?"  The  grapes  of 
tranquillity  cannot  grow  upon  the  thorns 
of  impiety.  Inward  peace  can  only  be 
espoused  to  inward  purity.  A  good 
way  to  have  conscience  untormented,  is 
to  have  it  undefiled.  He  who  made 
you  clean  within,  will  keep  you  calm 
wdthin. 


In  wisdom's  right  hand  are  length  of 
days,  and  in  her  left  hand  riches  and 
honour.  Look  to  which  hand  you  will 
and  you  will  find  it  full. 


FRO:*I  AN   OLD   CASKET.  147 

The  wicked  make  tkeir  end  their  God, 
but  we  make  God  our  end.  The  firma- 
ment is  made  more  glorious  by  one  sun 
than  by  all  the  stars  that  stud  the  hea- 
vens. Thus  Jesus  Christ  hath  more 
glory  given  to  him  from  one  saint  than 
from  all  the  world  beside.  He  takes 
more  pleasure  in  their  prayers,  and 
is  more  honoured  by  their  praise. 


''  Whether  ye  eat  or  drink,  or  what- 
soever ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God." 
From  the  lowest  act  of  nature  to  the 
Irighest  act  of  grace,  there  is  no  argu- 
ment for  the  pride  of  man,  but  every 
consideration  for  the  praise  of  God.  If 
he  make  our  nature  gracious,  we  should 
make  his  name  glorious.  He  that  would 
be  fingering  the  honor  of  God  is  not 
worthy  to  receive  the  honor  of  man. 
Cyesar  once  said  to  his  opponent,  "  Either 
I  will  be  Cassar  or  nobody."  So  the 
Lord  saith,  Either  I  will  be  a  great  God 


l-iS  A   STRING  OP   PEARLS, 

or  no  God.  That  man  disparages  the 
beauty  of  the  sun  who  sets  it  upon  a 
level  with  the  twinkling  stars. 


As  there  is  no  time  in  which  God  is 
not  blessing  his  children,  there  should 
be  no  time  in  which  his  people  are  not 
blessing  him.  As  he  designs  our  hap- 
piness in  all  he  does,  it  is  but  reasonable 
that  we  should  seek  his  honor  in  all  we 
do.  We  have  no  way  to  turn  the  streams 
unto  God,  the  ocean  of  all  bounty,  but 
through  the  pipes  of  gratitude. 


"  Giving  thanks  unto  the  Father  who 
hath  made  us  meet  to  be  partakers  of  the 
inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light."  It 
is  very  meet  that  he  should  be  magnified 
by  us,  when  he  makes  us  meet  to  be 
glorified  with  him.  The  whisperings 
of  the  voice  are  echoed  back  in  an  exact 
concave. 


FROM   AN   OLD   CASKET.  14:9 

The  body  of  a  man  can  stoop  for  a 
pin  as  well  as  for  a  pound.  As  the  best 
of  means  should  make  us  fruitful^  so 
the  least  of  mercies  should  make  us 
thankful. 


There  is  no  need  of  blotting  out  the 
characters  of  our  affections,  but  of  writ- 
ing them  on  fairer  paper.  There  is  no 
necessity  for  drying  up  these  running 
waters,  but  for  diverting  them  into  their 
proper  channels.  Why  should  we  wholly 
destroy  these  valuable  plants,  when  they 
might  thrive  so  well  in  a  better  soil  ? 
He  who  looks  upon  heaven  with  desire 
will  look  upon  earth  with  disdain.  Our 
affections  were  made  for  the  things 
which  are  ahove  us,  and  not  for  the 
things  which  are  about  us. 


"What  is  an  earthly  manor  compared 
to  a  heavenly  mansion?  As  carnal 
things  seem  small  to  a  spiritual  man,  so 


150  A   STRIXG   OF  PEARLS, 

spiritual  tbines  appear  small  to  a  carnal 
man.  There  is  no  moving  after  things 
beyond  the  sphere  of  our  own  knowledge. 
Heaven  is  to  the  worldling  as  a  mine  of 
gold  covered  with  earth  and  rubbish, 
or  as  a  bed  of  pearl  inclosed  in  a  heap 
of  sand.  But  if  he  had  the  eyes  of  an 
eagle  to  see  it,  he  would  wish  for  the 
wings  of  an  eagle  to  soar  unto  it. 


He  that  takes  possession  of  us  on 
earth  takes  possession /o/-  us  in  heaven. 
As  we  are  not  long  here  without  Him, 
so  he  will  not  be  lonsf  there  without  us. 

o 

Here  all  the  earth  is  not  enough  for  one 
carnal  man,  but  there  one  heaven  shall 
be  enough  for  all  Christian  men.  In 
this  life  there  are  showers  of  tears 
from  the  saint's  eyes,  but  in  that  life 
there  shall  be  a  sunshine  of  glory  in  the 
saint's  heart. 


Reader,  you  cannot   set   down   your 


FKOM  a:n-  old  casket.        151 

lusts  in  sucli  characters  but  what  the 
eyes  of  God  can  read  them.  As  he  can 
save  in  the  greatest  extremity,  so  he  can 
see  in  the  deepest  obscurity. 


Plato  saith  of  the  king  of  Lydia  that 
he  had  a  ring,  with  which,  when  he  turn- 
ed the  head  to  the  palm  of  his  hand, 
he  could  see  every  person,  and  yet  he 
himself  remain  invisible.  Though  we 
cannot  see  God  while  we  live,  yet  he 
can  see  how  we  live, 


Those  who  freight  their  minds  with 
carnal  pleasures  will  one  day  be  con- 
demned for  carrying  contraband  com- 
modities. ''  Rejoice,  0  young  man,  in 
thy  youth,  and  let  thine  heart  cheer  thee 
in  the  days  of  thy  youth,  and  walk  in 
the  ways  of  thine  own  heart  and  in  the 
sight  of  thine  own  eyes."  This  were 
brave,  indeed,  if  it  could  but  be  secured 
forever ;  but   alas,    after   the   flash   of 


152  A   STRING   OF  TEA  ELS, 

liglitmng  tlien  comes  tlie  dreadful  clap 
of  thunder,  "But  know  thou  that  for  all 
these  things  God  will  bring  thee  into 
judgment."  This  is  just  as  if  Grod  had 
said,  "  Well  poor  sinner,  run  down  the 
hill  as  fast  as  you  please  ;  but  know 
that  you  will  be  sure  to  break  your  neck 
at  last." 


Sin  is  like  a  serpent  in  the  bosom, 
which  stings  you,  or  like  a  thief  in  your 
closet,  who  plunders  you.  It  resembles 
poison  in  the  stomach,  or  a  sword  in  the 
bowels,  both  of  which  tend  to  death. 
Like  St.  John's  book,  it  may  be  sweet 
in  your  mouth,  but  it  will  be  bitter  in 
your  belly.  However  fair  iniqailj 
might  appear  to  some,  it  will  only  be 
found  like  a  blear-eyed  Leah  to  God. 


The  greatest  glory  of  this  world  is 
like  a  rotten  post,  which  never  shows 
its  brightness  but  in  the  dark.     How 


FROM  AN  OLD  CASKET.  153 

few  are  tliere  who  Lave  resolved  to 
ascend  the  pinnacle  of  honor,  but  what 
have  left  a  good  conscience  at  the  bottom 
of  the  ladder!  Believers  themselves 
would  be  surfeited  with  the  world's 
sweet  meat,  if  a  gracious  God  were  not 
to  call  them  away  from  the  banquet. 


Creature  comforts  are  like  the  soft 
morning  dews,  which  while  they  water 
the  branches  of  the  tree,  leave  the  roots 
dry.  Why  should  the  professors  of 
Christianity  be  found  eagerly  pursuing 
those  trifles  which  even  heathens  have 
been  found  flying  from  ?  The  world 
is  rather  a  sharp  brier  to  wound  us  than 
a  sweet  flower  to  delight  us. 


The  earth  is  big  in  our  hopes,  but 
little  in  our  hands.  It  is  like  Sodom's 
apples,  beautiful  to  the  eye  at  a  distance 
but  when  they  are  touched  they  crumble 
into  ashes.     "  Eiches  avail   not   in   the 


154  A  STRING  OF   PEARLS, 

day  of  wrath."  Not  in  the  day  of  man's 
wrath  to  preserve  him  from  plundering, 
nor  in  the  day  of  God's  Avrath  to  keep 
him  from  punishment. 


Eeader,  though  good  works  may  be 
our  Jacob's  staff  to  walk  with  on  earth, 
yet  they  cannot  be  our  Jacob's  ladder 
to  climb  to  heaven  with.  To  lay  the 
salve  of  our  services  upon  the  wound 
of  our  sins,  is  as  if  a  man  who  is  stung 
by  a  wasp  should  wipe  his  face  with  a 
nettle  ;  or  as  if  a  person  should  busy 
himself  in  supporting  a  tottering  fabric 
with  a  burning  fire-brand. 


It  was  not  the  tempered  clay  that 
cured  the  blind  man  but  Christ's  anoin- 
ting his  eyes  therewith.  That  was 
more  likely,  without  him,  to  make  a 
seeing  man  blind  than  a  blind  man  see. 
Thus  though  we  may  receive  our   spir- 


FROM   AX   OLD   CASKET.  155 

itual  sight  in  the  ordinances,  yet  it  is 
not  the  ordinances  which  give  us  sight. 


It  was  not  the  troubling  of  the  pool 
in  Bethesda  that  made  it  healing,  but 
the  coming  down  of  the  angel  into  it. 
That  man  must  famish  at  last  who 
always  feeds  upon  the  dish  instead  of 
the  meat.  There  is  no  instruction  to  be 
got  from  the  sun-dial  of  duty,  except 
the  Sun  of  righteousness  shine  upon  it. 


Reader,  it  is  dangerous  for  you  to  take 
shelter  in  your  righteousness ;  for  the 
lightning  of  divine  vengeance,  which 
flashes  before  you,  and  the  curses  of  the 
law,  which  thunder  around  you,  may 
suddenly  shake  your  house  about  you. 
As  fast  as  you  lay  on  your  own  plasters 
a  convinced  and  spiritual  conscience  will 
rub  them  off  again.  Nothing  but  the 
grace  of  the  gospel  can  perfectly  heal 
the  wounds   which   a   broken   law  has 


156  A   STR^G   OF   PEAELS, 

made.  Thoiigli  at  the  command  of 
Christ  you  may  let  down  the  net,  yet  it 
is  only  by  the  blessing  of  Christ  that 
you  can  enclose  a  profitable  draught. 


He  is  a  rotten  professor  who  says  in 
his  heart,  '•'  Why  may  not  I  be  drunk 
as  well  as  Noah,  and  commit  adultery  as 
well  as  David?"  Did  you  ever  hear  of 
any  who  put  out  their  eyes  because 
others  were  smitten  with  blindness  ;  or 
of  any  who  cut  off  their  legs  because 
others  went  on  crutches  ? 


Jehu,  who  onl}^  served  God  in  hypoc- 
risy, had  an  external  kingdom;  and 
shall  those  who  serve  him  from  a  prin- 
ciple of  inward  purity  be  put  off  with- 
out a  heavenly  kingdom?  If  God 
valued  counterfeit  coin  so  much,  how 
highly  will  he  esteem  the  true  gold  !  If 
he  drop  so  much  into  a  vessel  of  wrath 
what  will  he  do  into  a  vessel  of  mercy  ! 


FROM   AN-    OLD    CASKET.  157 

If  lie  give  so  miicli  to  a  bond  slave  of 
liell,  what  will  he  do  for  a  free-born 
child  of  heaven  I  "  Have  I  been  a 
wildernesss  unto  Israel,  a  land  of  dark- 
ness?" God  was  not  a  wilderness  to 
them  when  they  were  in  the  wilderness. 
When  they  wanted  bread,  he  gave  them 
manna ;  when  they  wanted  water,  he 
opened  a  rock ;  and  though  they  had 
no  new  apparel  yet  their  old  garments 
wore  not  out,  but  as  their  bodies  grew, 
so  their  souls  grew.  Thus  they  were 
never  better  off  than  when  they  were 
ready  to  give  up  all  as  lost. 


0  how  good  is  a  believer's  God,  who 
not  only  shortens  his  pilgrimage  for  him, 
but  also  sweetens  it  to  him  I  Had 
Christians  too  much  of  temporal  things 
they  might  care  too  little  for  spiritual 
things.  Daniel  appeared  better  with 
his  homely  pulse  than  the  Babylonians 
with  all  their  royal   diet.     Some   have 


158  A   STRIXG   OF   PEA  ELS, 

rowed  safely  in  a  narrow  river  and  been 
drowned  afterward  in  a  large  sea.  A 
little  is  sufficient  to  liim  who  witli  it 
enjoys  God's  all  sufficiency. 


Some  are  afraid  of  religion,  because 
tbey  suppose  they  shall  lose  all  their 
earthly  mammon  while  they  are  seeking 
heavenly  manna.  They  think  that 
piety  is  the  greatest  enemy  to  prosper- 
ity. Could  they  but  reap  profit  by 
praying,  they  would  be  found  more  at 
prayer.  Ignorant  worldlings  look  upon 
gain  as  their  greatest  godliness,  and  not 
on  godliness  as  their  greatest  gain.  But 
a  golden  plaster  is  a  poor  application 
for  a  wounded  conscience.  When  the 
worm  of  carnality  is  gnawing  at  the 
root  of  religious  performances,  all  the 
formalist's  blooming  hopes  will  fade  and 
die  away  at  last. 


FEOM  AN   OLD   CASKET.  159 

Many  will  side  Avitli  religion  while 
they  can  live  upon  it,  and  desert  it  when 
it  must  live  upon  them.  But  that  say- 
ing is  yet  true  :  "  Godliness  with  con- 
tentment is  great  gain."  It  is  only  the 
Christian  man  who  is  the  truly  contented 
man;  and  what  are  our  enjoyments 
without  contentment  ?  What  is  a  great 
possession  if  wedded  to  great  vexation  ? 
"Wicked  men  make  this  workl  their 
treasure, and  God  makes  it  their  torment. 
When  they  want  estates  they  are  trou- 
bled for  them ;  when  they  have  estates 
they  are  troubled  with  them ;  and  when 
they  would  drink  of  the  river  God  dis- 
turbs the  water. 


When  men  feel  sickness  arresting 
them,  then  they  fear  death  is  approach- 
ing. But  we  begin  to  die  as  soon  as 
ever  we  begin  to  live.  Every  man's 
passing-bell  hangs  in  his  o^vn  steeple. 
Take  him  in  his  four  elements,  of  earth 


160      A   STRI^^G   OF   PEARLS,    ETC. 

air,  lire,  and  water.  In  tlie  eartli  lie  is 
as  fleeting  dust ;  in  tlie  air  he  is  as  a 
disappearing  vapor  ;  in  the  water  he  is 
a  breaking  bubble  ;  and  in  the  fire  he 
is  as  consuming  smoke.  Many  think 
not  of  living  any  holier  till  they  can 
live  no  longer  :  but  one  to-day  is  worth 
two  to-morrow. 


THE   END. 


